A New Holiday Survey Has NJ Shoppers Raising Eyebrows

A new holiday shopping survey says Americans are still planning to spend this year. It has to be said that I’m having a hard time imagining that picture here in New Jersey.

According to a new Adtaxi survey, 38.5% of shoppers expect to spend more on holiday gifts this year, while another 38.2% plan to spend about the same. That leaves 23.3% who say they’ll spend less.

So, yes, the numbers suggest 76.7% of shoppers will at least maintain their holiday spending.

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But What About New Jersey?

Here’s where I’m scratching my head.

Anyone who has been grocery shopping, paying bills or basically existing in New Jersey lately knows that everything feels more expensive. The survey itself even acknowledges that reality: 59% of respondents said higher prices are likely to affect their holiday spending decisions.

That makes the spending numbers feel a little surprising.

Of course, this is a national survey of 1,029 adults, not a survey specifically of New Jersey shoppers. So maybe Garden State families are doing something different, or maybe they’re finding ways to keep the traditions they love while trimming the extras.

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New Jersey Families May Be Taking a Different Approach

For plenty of local families, cutting back doesn’t necessarily mean canceling Christmas. It could mean fewer gifts, more bargain hunting, homemade traditions or simply being more selective about where the money goes.

Honestly, that sounds pretty familiar.

Life is getting pricey in NJ. In order to keep up, families have to make cuts somewhere. Cutting back on Christmas shopping makes the most logical sense if it means maintaining beloved holiday family traditions.