<div><p>Cash-strapped US consumers plan to spend about 15 percent less on Christmas gifts in 2009 than they did last year, a credit industry research group reported Wednesday.</p><p>On average, shoppers are expected to spend 723 dollars on holiday presents this year, compared to 831 dollars in 2008 and 896 dollars in 2007, Discover Financial Services said.</p><p>Women will outspend men slightly, dishing out an average of 742 dollars compared to 702 dollars, according to a survey by the credit group.</p><p>Some 47 percent of consumers reported plans to spend between just 100 and 500 dollars on their holiday shopping, while a quarter said they will spend between 500 and 1,000 dollars.</p><p>Nearly half (43 percent) of subjects surveyed said they plan to spend less on holiday gifts than they did last year.</p><p>About two-thirds of respondents (63 percent) said they are very worried about the state of their personal finances, a decrease from last year, when 74 percent of recession-hit shoppers reported similar concerns.</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=65095575&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

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