Do You Plan to Spend More Money this Holiday Season?

Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, holiday parties—it's an expensive time of year. 

According to the National Retail Federation's national holiday consumer spending survey (conducted by BIGinsight), the average holiday shopper will spend $749.51 on gifts, décor, holiday cards, entertaining and other things this season. That's a minor increase from $740.57 — the amount shoppers spent last year.

Two-thirds of respondents to a recent poll by the NPD Group said they “plan to spend about the same” as last year, while 10 percent planned to “spend more.”

Unlike other areas of the country, the fiscal cliff and sequestration are really on the minds of thousands of federal employees and government contractors. In addition, western Prince William County, Manassas and Manassas Park were hit hard by the foreclosure crisis in the past few years. 

With that in mind, will you be more creative with your gifting, or are you planning to rely on more social shopping sites like Groupon and Living Social for cheaper gifts? 

Let us know in the comments section below!