Consumers still reluctant to spend: poll

The economy will have to continue to muscle along without much help from consumer spending, according to a new Harris Poll. Most consumers, who historically represent 70% of the U.S. economy, aren't yet planning to relax their new habits of saving and investing to begin borrowing and spending again, the poll showed. For example, about two-thirds of all adults surveyed said they expect to spend less on eating out (66%) and entertainment (62%) over the next six months. The online survey of 2,620 adults, conducted by Harris Interactive between Sept. 14 and Sept. 20, found that 52% of consumers surveyed plan to save and invest more money over the next six months. Virtually the same percentage said this in each of the past seven polls since 2008. There was a slight uptick in the percentage of respondents who expect to take on certain bigger-ticket ventures. Those respondents who expect to buy a new house or condo in the next six months climbed to 10%, from 7% in May. The percentage of respondents who expect to buy a boat or RV grew to 6%, from 3%. And 10% of respondents said they expect to start a new business, which compares with 6% in May.