Washington, March 3, 2009 - This St. Patrick’s Day, Americans are more likely to stash any "pot o’ gold" they find rather than spend it.  According to NRF’s St. Patrick’s Day Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch, people celebrating the Irish holiday will spend an average of $32.80 on decorations, food and beverage and festive attire, compared to an average of $35.04 in 2008. Total spending is expected to reach $3.29 billion.*

Last Labor Day, there were three times the normal amount of FSI coupons in our local paper. With the decline of the newspaper industry, you would think that FSI's wouldn't be so prevalent. And yet, we see more demand than ever from consumers to use these types of promotional programs.