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Americans are optimistic about their finances and plan to splurge this holiday season, survey finds
Morningstar ^ | 11/16/2021 | Kathleen Wiles

Posted on 11/16/2021 9:31:21 AM PST by SaxxonWoods

People expect to spend more on holiday travel, celebrations and 'big ticket experiences,' such as concerts or sporting events, a MassMutual survey found.

It's the most wonderfully expensive time of the year, and people are expecting to spend big.

A new survey from MassMutual shows that consumers are feeling optimistic about their finances -- and are planning to spend $1,243 on average on holiday-related purchases this season. For comparison, the national median rent was $1,312 in October, according to a report from Apartment List.

The MassMutual Consumer Spending & Saving Index surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults online between Oct. 18 and Oct. 22, 2021.

The survey found that despite record-high inflation, 73% of Americans said they're feeling optimistic about their finances. Thirty-five percent said they're feeling "very optimistic" about their finances, up from 27% in July and 21% in February.

(Excerpt) Read more at morningstar.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: economy; holidayseason
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To: SaxxonWoods

I don’t doubt for a second that there are indeed people optimistic about their personal finances, and likely for good reasons for their own situation.

I simply don’t see how an economy can be gutted with small businesses by the score bankrupted and trillions of government dollars printed up and pumped into an economy is a good thing and is going to be a positive in any way.

And I admit that I personally could be wrong in this, but this doesn’t seem like a sound economy built on hard work and high productivity contributing to the wealth of a nation...it seems like a body being forced to burn muscle tissue to keep going on at any rate.

FR is indeed heavy on doom and gloom of all kinds, but if that is so in this case, I would regard it as justified.


21 posted on 11/16/2021 9:41:45 AM PST by rlmorel (If the Biden Administration was only stupid or incompetent, some actions would benefit the USA.)
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To: SaxxonWoods
"A new survey from Mass Mutual shows that consumers are feeling optimistic about their finances"

And yet the most recent consumer sentiment survey shows this:

"The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment for the US fell to 66.8 in November of 2021 from 71.7 in October and below market expectations of 72.4, preliminary estimates showed. It was the lowest reading since November 2011 due to an escalating inflation rate and the growing belief among consumers that no effective policies have yet been developed to reduce the damage from surging inflation."

https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/consumer-confidence

22 posted on 11/16/2021 9:43:30 AM PST by billyboy15
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To: SaxxonWoods
"...Americans are sitting on more cash than usual per capita and they are spending..."

That dynamic is certainly true in my case over the last two years, I haven't been vacationing the same, or even buying things at the same rate, so I have been saving and I am sure there are many like me.

23 posted on 11/16/2021 9:43:49 AM PST by rlmorel (If the Biden Administration was only stupid or incompetent, some actions would benefit the USA.)
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To: SaxxonWoods

Most people are ignorant. Lestor Holt doesn’t talk about inflation, shortages, or open borders. The snowball is rolling but it hasn’t rolled over most people yet.... yet


24 posted on 11/16/2021 9:44:00 AM PST by z3n (“If the populace knew with what idiocy they were ruled, they would revolt.” -Charlemagne)
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To: rlmorel

Sounds like you follow the ‘normal’ media a lot, FRiend.


25 posted on 11/16/2021 9:44:21 AM PST by SaxxonWoods (“There are no rules here – we're trying to accomplish something.” -Thomas A. Edison )
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To: SaxxonWoods

I’m Joe Biden and I approve this message.


26 posted on 11/16/2021 9:44:27 AM PST by Pollard (PureBlood -- youtube.com/watch?v=VXm0fkDituE)
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To: SaxxonWoods

They’re spending “big” because prices have gone up.


27 posted on 11/16/2021 9:45:51 AM PST by T.B. Yoits
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To: SaxxonWoods

What a lie this is.


28 posted on 11/16/2021 9:45:57 AM PST by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: z3n

“Most people are ignorant.”

Actually, most people are doing well, believe it or not.


29 posted on 11/16/2021 9:46:15 AM PST by SaxxonWoods (“There are no rules here – we're trying to accomplish something.” -Thomas A. Edison )
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To: SaxxonWoods

“Most people are optimistic, doing OK and spending.”

Really? What about this?

https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/consumer-confidence. (lowest in 11 years)

You did say “most people”......right?


30 posted on 11/16/2021 9:46:31 AM PST by billyboy15
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Please Support FR
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31 posted on 11/16/2021 9:46:47 AM PST by DJ MacWoW (The Fed Gov is not one ring to rule them all)
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To: SaxxonWoods

No they’re not.

It occurred to me that you can make a lot of money lying for a living.-

Not that I would, but journalism seems to be the liars marketplace of choice.

“There is no money in the truth” -WRMF 11/16/2021


32 posted on 11/16/2021 9:47:39 AM PST by WeaslesRippedMyFlesh
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To: T.B. Yoits

In an inflationary environment it is “use it or lose it” time.

Future dollars will be worth a lot less, so you better spend them now.


33 posted on 11/16/2021 9:48:28 AM PST by cgbg (A kleptocracy--if they can keep it. Think of it as the Cantillon Effect in action.)
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To: SaxxonWoods

Stuff costs far more.

How is that splurging?!


34 posted on 11/16/2021 9:48:42 AM PST by mewzilla (Those aren't masks. They're muzzles. )
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To: SaxxonWoods
most people are doing well, believe it or not.

If prices increase another 38%, we'll really be doing great!

35 posted on 11/16/2021 9:48:43 AM PST by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: rlmorel
"...Americans are sitting on more cash than usual per capita and they are spending..."

The joke here is that the cost of fuel and food and everything else is rising to the stratosphere and the government and media will point and say "Look, Americans are spending more this year than last year, isn't that wonderful?"

There are dopes that don't get the concept of inflation.

36 posted on 11/16/2021 9:49:27 AM PST by Sirius Lee (They intend to murder us. Prep if you want to live and live like you are prepping for eternal life)
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To: SaxxonWoods

Not at all. Zero. Haven’t watched the news for going on 30 years, and haven’t read a newspaper in that time. And I don’t watch television.

I don’t regard them as truthful, their content a product of what they think they need to sell to make a profit, with that taking a back seat to activism, so I don’t find the media to be either trustworthy or useful except to obtain information about what various entities in media outlets wish people to think on a given subject.

I have tried to educate myself as much and admittedly imperfectly as I can, and rely heavily on people whose opinions I trust on various matters given their viewpoints and how well those views mesh with historic outcomes.

That has pitfalls of its own and takes time and effort, but that approach is, to me, far preferable to swallowing the words and opinions of people who have demonstrably shown they mean ill towards people with principles similar to mine and opposed to theirs.


37 posted on 11/16/2021 9:51:46 AM PST by rlmorel (If the Biden Administration was only stupid or incompetent, some actions would benefit the USA.)
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To: SaxxonWoods
Actually, most people are doing well, believe it or not.

You bet, in fact we're waiting for 6 dollar a gallon gas and 38% overall price increases to really splurge! The higher the prices, the more we plan on spending!

38 posted on 11/16/2021 9:53:08 AM PST by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: SaxxonWoods

Wow Mass Mutual. My dad bought 2500 dollar whole life policies from them in 1963 for all his kids. I still pay 32 bucks a year for the premium. The cash surrender value is over 3000 dollars. I was planning to let it become an annuity before all the inflation started. I think the inflation we will see will make the 70’s look like Weimar Germany. How’s that for doom and gloom pessimism?


39 posted on 11/16/2021 9:53:52 AM PST by webheart (I thought I was helping by getting vaccinated but they say I didn’t help at all. )
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To: kosciusko51

Mass Mutual poll ?

In conjunction with The Washington Compost/ABC “ News “ poll, no doubt.


40 posted on 11/16/2021 9:54:33 AM PST by BrexitBen
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