Have you noticed how the media is already hyping up the fact that Brits will still spend at Xmas?

Question

Is is to ensure that we DO feel less guilty when we over spend at Christmas? I know that when I did a Business/Economics study 10 years ago, one of our lecturers said (and it stuck in my mind) that every goverment wants to stimulate a spending bug in their society as it keeps a country going, encourages foreign investors, and creates a healthy enviroment financially. I know in a broad generalisation this may be true, but I think its a big hype to already forcast in the media that everyone is going to overspend and worry about debts after Christmas.. its like giving everyone the green light to go and get that loan or do their credit card in a bit more. Scary no?? We all do it, but how much does the media effect our decision or spending behaviour this time of year? Or are we even aware of it as being a tactic?

Just to add I have been out of the country for 30 years (recently returned)so I can see the Big Change in peoples attitude to credit and overspending. So easy to get loans and credit... in large amounts that don't correspond to personal earnings. Scary!!

Answer 1

Ah, tis the year that Karma finally bites the **** of Global Corporation!! Their full throttle greed in the areas of Big Oil have caused The People (those "mindless cattle looked down upon by corporations)to simply opt towards NOT shopping as expected. You can bet this sent some red flag warnings on both sides of "the pond" to corporate marketing agencies.

In the past--their tatics were indeed quite clever. Now, their desperation is brazenly exposed as they literally now beg us to drain out our wallets. But how can we do that when Big Oil this year alone has done that all too well for us already???

I really do think my family are like scores of millions everywhere; the current marketing demographic model as others: We accept that Big Oil has drained us near dry this year, so we're opting on having a simple Xmas--one w/out the lavish spending. We all agree to having one simple present this year--costing UNDER $100.

Corporate enterprise doesn't want this at all---but what are they to do? They're gonna have to knock down Big Oil's door and tell THEM to back off; something I doubt will be effective....but something's GOTTA give here.

Answer 2

The problem is, us Americans don't know how to budget properly. If the average American can hardly get by as it is, it's a no-brainer that Christmas is going to hurt us financially. Christmas has become too commercial. When gas can drop 2 dollars maybe I'll go nuts and buy presents for everyone in the family, but as for right now a grab bag sounds efficient enough! We started doing grab bags last year and it's been successful and I just buy for that person and my immediate family members and it's fine. It doesn't help that consumer electronics are outrageous! And of course every kid in the country wants the latest video game system and for 600$? Are they nuts? Even "Black Friday" doesn't help! We can't afford that anymore. The American dollar is dwindling. To be honest, do we really need Christmas? It's a selfish holiday. It's "gimme gimme". Maybe because I'm getting older (I'm 23) and I have a better understanding on how the world works but Christmas is fast becoming my least favorite holiday. 10 years ago it was a different story! But times have changed as well (and not for the better) not everyone has money to spend like it's going out of style and only this time it's worse. I know many people are being faced with plenty of difficult decisions, whether to buy that "expensive gift" or pay the gas bill. Corporations are greedy and they get richer while we get poorer trying to live up and keep up with everyone else. If it were up to me, I'd take the money I normally spent on Christmas and go to Las Vegas for a week. The whole point of Christmas was to spend time with family and the ones you love and to enjoy the company that you keep. That doesn't exist anymore. And I hate how fake it is. Everyone's nice to eachother for what, a month? Than it's back to the ungrateful a-holes that we were before the holiday season started.

Oh, and what's with Christmas coming earlier? Why is there Christmas music playing the day after Halloween (November 1st) ? That's scary.

Answer 3

Media in all shapes and forms affects, when you see a tempting TV advert of this year's must-have-this-item, some can't resist and march straight to the shops. Oxford St is a nightmare during any day- December will bring more shoppers, locals and tourists alike. Can always get another credit card when present one runs out of credit? In my opinion credit card is not the solution, not for overspending. All long as adverts and shop window decorations are effective, shopping sprees will continue. I've reduced my high street shopping, prefer to stay of crowds and shop online, or not shop at all.. If I can avoid it..

Answer 4

And no coincidence that the BofE are expected to announce a cut in interest rates before Christmas as well. It's scary to think how much personal debt this government have let people run up in the last ten years.

Answer 5

The media is paid for by advertising, by and large.

Advertising is to get us to spend.

If they think we aren't going to spend, they'll say anything to make it happen, or the advertising revenue will dip.

So even with petrol a quid a litre, prices rocketing and consumer apathy, we're all apparently really keen to blow what little we have left on yet more heaps of junk to fill up each others homes with.

Why not make a pact with family and friends: "Don't buy me stuff and I won't buy you stuff, and our gift to each other will be a stress-free Christmas".

Merry Christmas. Peace on earth.

Answer 6

im def not over spending this year! we are saving for our wedding next summer which is far more important than all the tosh the shops are trying to get us to buy. and lets face it, it really is all a loud of crap. half our presents last year went in the carboot box. we are putting £25 each into the pot and buying some nice wine instead this year!

Answer 7

Im not going to spend money at chrsitmas, I did it all in October lolol. And seeing as someone else in the family is having us all I wont need food shopping either...wonderful!!!

Answer 8

Stock markets tend to rise in the run up to christmas!!