Career military families pinching pennies for the holidays
First Command’s annual holiday spending survey reveals that military shoppers expect to spend considerably less on gifts than last year.
On average they anticipate spending $1,148, down 30 percent from the $1,625 they estimate having spent last year. Roughly one in three families (37 percent) say they expect to spend less than $500 on gifts.
Military families also expect to cut their gift giving expenses by:
- Giving fewer gifts per person (30 percent)
- Setting a maximum amount for gifts (28 percent)
- Buying gifts at discount stores (25 percent)
- Giving gifts to fewer people (24 percent)
- Making gifts (13 percent)
Other ways military families are cutting back for the holidays include spending less on travel (25 percent), decorations (23 percent) and food (13 percent).
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