Prairie residents spending less on gifts this holiday season

A poll by CIBC indicates residents of the prairie provinces will spend less on gifts than in 2015.

Saskatchewanians and Manitobans who were polled plan to spend $62 less, on average, than last year — $647 compared to $709. However that is above the national average of $597.

The poll was conducted during the first week of December, among more than 1,500 randomly selected Angus Reid Forum panelists. 

The cutback in spending comes amid a recovering economy in which oil and potash prices have suffered over the last couple of years. Manitoba, due to a more diverse portfolio, suffered less from the lower prices than Saskatchewan and Alberta. 

Canadians as a whole, plan to spend eight per cent less, the poll finds. However, more than half of those polled think they will likely go over budget.

"For myself, more. I know the economy is tough and from what I understand other people are saying it's less but it hasn't been for us," said Carol Irvine, who spoke to CBC while out shopping on Friday.

Shopper Chris Mish, on the other hand, plans to spend less.

"Actually quite a bit less," Mish said. "Something we decided on a as family. We're going to just try and get together as a family and do a little more homemade stuff."

He said the holiday season is more about spending time with family as the focus and less about the spending. 

Forty-six per cent of those polled said they will still be cheerful when January rolls around, while three per cent will feel the pain and another three per cent just don't keep track of spending.

The poll's margin of error is plus or minus 2.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20.