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Tell us about your holiday spending plans Star wants to know how you're handling holiday spending

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Everywhere, news stories lament that consumer spending is dropping and causing problems in almost every retail sector.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson says he's trying to boost consumers' access to credit, including car loans.

New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman advised President-elect Obama to cut to the chase and tell the American public to "Go shopping."

But isn't it the free-wheeling spending and the credit-card debt that helped get us in this mess? Aren't we supposed to cut back and conserve our cash for the hard times ahead?

As we head into the holidays, what will you do to reconcile the need to be cautious and the urge to do your part to keep the economy moving and support local stores?

Will you black out Black Friday?

Will necessities be the only gifts under the tree?

Are you drawing names for gift-giving for the first time?

Planning new traditions that steer away from store-bought gifts?

Tell us how you're handling the holidays during this economic downturn by writing a note to metro@azstarnet.com

Please put Holiday Spending in the subject line and provide a daytime phone number (it won't be published) so we can call with any follow-up questions.

We'll be sharing Southern Arizonans' strategies and stories during December.