Many are dreaming of a tight Christmas...

Our family is one of those that will have even less to spend this year at Christmas time since the reality is with increases in health care costs and other items such as gas and food, we are making less money this year than last year. When you read this CNN article, Families cut back on holiday spending plans we are not alone:

A recent survey conducted by the group found that nearly one-third of consumers plan to spend less this year than last. Most say they don't have as much money available, while others cite concerns about fuel prices and jobs, the survey found.

"There's a kind of emotional recession out there," Taylor said. "It's the war, the economy, the falling dollar and a kind of vague sense everything isn't quite right with the world."

Trade groups like the National Retail Federation predict holiday sales will rise a modest four percent this year, to $474.5 billion. That's well below the 4.8 percent average of the past decade and the slowest holiday sales growth since 2002, when sales rose 1.3 percent, the Washington, D.C.-based group said.