Subdue your holiday excitement this year — Bellingham is full of cheapskates, report says
Don’t expect to find the latest iPhone or Galaxy under the tree this year. No Caribbean cruises or expensive pieces of jewelry, either. And you can forget waking up to find a new Lexus with a giant red bow in your driveway on Christmas morning — at least here in Bellingham.
Turns out we’re all a bunch of cheapskates — Scrooges, if you will.
Bellingham residents will spend less than half the national average per person this holiday season, according to the latest in a series of economic indicators published by WalletHub.com on Tuesday.
Guess there really is a reason for subdued excitement this year.
Americans are expected to spend 4.1 percent more than last year during the holidays, according to the National Retail Federation, which estimated the average person will spend $1,077.24 during the holiday season, including $637.67 on gifts, $215.04 on food, decorations, flowers and greeting cards and another $154.53 on non-gift purchases — because some deals are just too good to pass up.
Bellingham residents, WalletHub projects, will only spend $502 per person, which ranks a measly 446th out of the 570 cities (22nd percentile) that were ranked.
Well, it’s the thought that counts ... right? Go ahead and tell yourself that.
Want some really good gifts this year? Make friends with someone who lives in Flower Mound, Texas, where WalletHub projects holiday spending to be $2,761 per person — tops in the nation. Holiday shopping in Sunnyvale, California; Naperville, Illinois; and Mountainview, California, also is predicted to top $2,500 per person.
Bellevue residents are projected to be the top spenders in Washington state, checking in at No. 6 nationally at $2,411 per person.
Hope you’re not expecting gifts from Cleveland or Miami, though, as those two cities ranked last at an estimated $64 and $81, respectively.
WalletHub used an algorithm to compare cities based on income, age, debt-to-income ratio, monthly income-to-monthly expenses ratio and savings-to-monthly expenses ratio — in other words, finding out where residents had more disposable income to spend on pricey holiday gifts.
While it is better to give than receive, it appears Bellingham residents are giving too much for housing costs and numerous other living expenses and have too much debt, leaving less for end-of-the-year festivities.
And that can’t be good news for Bellingham retailers, with Black Friday just over a week away.
In the spirit of those of penny-pinchers in town, however, CountryLiving.com offered “50 holiday gifts under $30 that don’t look cheap.” Here are a few highlights:
▪ Target.com is offering a House Bud Vase designed by Joanna Gaines (from “Fixer Upper”), certain to “give freshly cut florals a home” for only $6.99.
▪ Food52.com has a Grillight Spatula in case you worry about someone flipping burgers in the dark for $25.
▪ UrbanOutfitters.com is selling Sipski Shower Wine Glass Holders for $15, perfect for that family member or friend who might have difficulty deciding between taking a shower or finishing that open bottle.
▪ For those who prefer doing their drinking out of the shower — but haven’t progressed past partying in the college dorms — Amazon.com sells Prosecco Pong (think a fancier version of Beer Pong) for $18.61.
▪ Amazon.com also has Bob Ross Color Changing Mugs for $23.99, complete with “happy little trees” for the artistic coffee drinker in everyone.
▪ With a nod to Bellingham’s canine crazies, Amazon.com also offers “Dogs on Instagram” coffee table books for the now discounted price of $11.81 — a perfect match for the Pet Portrait Pendants available for $28 on etsy.com.
▪ Get two stocking stuffers in one and spice things up just about anywhere with a pair of Sriracha Key Chains for only $13 on Amazon.com — unfortunately, Sriracha sauce is not included in the 1.7- and 1-ounce key chain bottles.
Happy bargain shopping to all, and to all a good deal!
This story was originally published November 14, 2018 at 11:00 AM.