KANSAS CITY, Mo.- A national survey says shoppers expect to average about $676 in holiday spending this year, and that is giving local retailers hope.
Retailers like Wal-Mart and Target are already offering deals on big ticket items. Target is testing out a pilot program in the Kansas City area that includes a five percent-off Target card.
"If you use your target red card, your target check card, you save five percent every time you shop every time you use it," said Selena Foster, team manager at the Ward Parkway Center Target.
Foster believes the program will go a long way to boost holiday sales.
"We are picking up a little bit because of that, so we're hoping to see it drive more sales through the holiday season," she said.
Shoppers told NBC Action News they expect to spend an average of $500 this year on Christmas.
Wal-Mart shopper Crystal Schuler says right now money is tight.
"Just because of the economy,” Schuler said. “Everything's so high. Gas is going back up," said Schuler.
She said she could be persuaded into buying a big screen TV if someone slashed the price considerably.
“That helps people out around Christmas time if they lower the prices,” she said. “That would help me out.”
Harry and Mary Quick don't believe in buying beyond their means. They believe if others followed their philosophy on spending, the economy would be in better shape.
"We've never bought nothing that we couldn't afford,” said Harry Quick. “Lots of people have to keep up with the Jones and we never got the Jones living next door to us.”
Their biggest purchase of the day turned out to be a new dog and lots of accessories.
