MSE News: Household spending down amid slump

I am not spending much this year already didn't buy myself a gift last week for my birthday, I did get some presents but small in value. This xmas I wont be spending much for xmas. I will celebrate xmas but not like other years spend hundreds of pounds. I will buy some gifts for close family only as I do every year I dont believe in spending money on friends or distant family or get into debt for xmas. I am not skint or mean, I am not rich either just careful

I did buy a new sofa a few months back on credit which I pay before I get charged interest. I did need a new one my old one was 15 years old

Now that the slump has been going on a little while I think money saving/cutting costs or whatever you want to call it has become commonplace and certainly much more socially acceptable. It's now OK to use a coupon or plan a night out around "Orange Wednesday" or similar discount. Buying big labels now doesn't seem quite so trendy and shopping around is much easier thanks to comparison sites and websites like this and hotukdeals.

I wonder how many people's spending has dropped because of them being savvy and cutting out unnecessary costs rather than depriving themselves?

ecoelle wrote: »

Is it terribly accurate to base this type of statement on the personnal diaries of 6000 families.

Yup. 6,000 is a pretty chunky sample. The ONS no doubt employ all sorts of staistical whizz kids to ensure that their sample is representative of the UK population.