Merry Christmas, I’m broke

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In the midst of Michigan’s sinking economy, many people are wondering how they are going to afford the expenses that come with the holiday season.

“I am trying to save money by spending it on only the essential things,” said Clawson Sophomore Ashley Ludwig. “I’m (also) trying to find the best deals and anticipate sales.”

In Michigan’s economy, with the unemployment rate topping 9 percent last month, the Big Three automakers in dire straits, and layoffs happening in nearly every sector, people are trying to conserve their money.

Christopher Bailey, a temporary faculty member in the economics department, said he believes the lack of jobs and prospects will definitely affect people’s spending habits this holiday season.

“The best thing for people to do while shopping is to anticipate big sales and not spend so much money on the less necessary things,” Bailey said.

Black Friday, which was Nov. 28, is known as the biggest shopping day of the year. Stores are typically known to hold bigger sales than usual, and people line up at extremely early hours to get great deals.

However, even with the discounts, stores saw a decrease in sales, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers.

The council found that November same-store sales fell 2.7 percent based on a survey of 37 chains. It was the biggest drop since the ICSC began tracking data in 1969.

Robbie Coffell, an employee at Curtiss Pro Hardware, 118 S. Main St., said that sales have been pretty much the same this year as in previous years. However, he said that the economy is definitely affecting the overall business of the hardware store and they are trying different techniques to draw customers in the holiday season.

“We are having a lot of deals to try to make a dollar, but we aren’t trying to rip anyone off,” he said.

Zeeland freshman Ashton Tourison said he has been trying to save money for the holiday season by just doing little things.

“I am utilizing the cafeteria here instead of going to fast food restaurants so that I can save money,” he said.

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