Fewer than one-third of shoppers plan to stick to their holiday gift budgets this year, according to a just-released national survey.
The Internet survey, conducted November 19-26 by Taubman Centers on the Web sites of its shopping centers nationwide, asked people how they manage their holiday gift spending.
Of those who responded:
- Only 30.8 percent said they were determined to set strict gift-shopping budgets and stick to them.
- 40 percent planned to shop with a loose budget in mind but remain flexible.
- 10 percent said they would set strict budgets -- knowing full well that they'll never stick to them.
- Nearly 19 percent planned to "buy now and worry later."
- Midwest shoppers showed the greatest determination to set a budget and stick to it, while California shoppers were the most apt to buy now and worry later.