Even two years into the recession, Tombstone residents are still not ready to loosen their purse strings during this holiday shopping season.

The stagnant economy is affecting Christmas shopping among the residents. They are planning to spend less and their fixed amount of budget for shopping has shrunk in contrast to last year’s.

“I have less money to spend. I think everyone has less money to spend,” said Susan Hawksworth who is thinking about purchasing video games at $60 for each of her three grandchildren in Pennsylvania. “It’s hard because everything including groceries have gone up,” adding that she plans to spend only $200 this year compared to $300 last year.

Due to the rising prices among many products, people are still not certain if they are going to buy all the items on their shopping lists if the prices keep climbing up. Some people might even give up most of the stuff on their lists.

“I am just worrying about getting good things for my family,” said James Dotson, who is thinking of getting a $100 scooter, clothing, T-shirts and tennis shoes, for his 10-year-old daughter.

“The prices keep going up and higher and higher. I won’t be shopping that much if the prices are raised up more,” he said. “Then I am not going shopping for all that stuff. I will get only a few things.”

In addition, people are finding ways to eliminate expenses by giving away presents they bought for Christmas a few years ago.

“My list has gotten really small due to the debt. It’s gotten very small,” said Sue Hilligoss, a 56-year-old Tombstone resident who works at The Snack Shack, a fast food and snack shop in the town. She said she spent about $250 to $300 last Christmas but will try to keep it under $200 this year.

“I still have a lot of things that I bought in the past for Christmas and didn’t give them away, which I can wrap up and give away,” she said, adding that she still has extra hams from Thanksgiving in the freezer and will use them for Christmas meals and even for New Years.

Hilligoss bought a couple of four-wheelers at about $6,000 each last year, but had to sell them for $3,000 to $4,000 because she was in need of money.

However, she is not going to use that money to make her Christmas luxurious. The extra dollars she received are kept untouched.

“I can’t do that because that’s all I have,” Hilligoss said. “That’s my backup. The money is for emergency.”

Walmart, K-mart, The Mall at Sierra Vista, and other franchised stores in nearby towns such as Sierra Vista and Benson are popular places for the holiday shopping among most Tombstone people, although some, like Hilligoss, try to shop at Tombstone’s gift shops to boost the local business.

“I usually shop in town and help merchants. I usually get a good deal,” Hilligoss said. “It helps everyone. Some people go to Sierra Vista for sales, wherever good sales are going on for kids. That’s where they go.”

Some small items such as necklaces, earrings and blankets are sold in Tombstone at almost the same prices as nationwide discounted stores, Hilligoss said.
The gas prices and the long drive to larger cities makes her shop locally.

“At Walmart you can have some little nice jewelries. You can get many of them (in Tombstone) from $10 to $18. I don’t waste my gas going (to Sierra Vista),” Hilligoss said.

Andrea Grimaldi — owner of Doc Holliday’s Emporium at 518 E. Allen St. — said the popular items at the store among local Christmas shoppers are $10 custom ornaments such as snowmen and locally made Christmas ornaments and coffee cups.

She said an average of eight to 10 Tombstone residents per week visit and purchase such goods and they seem to enjoy those products.

Some are using debit cards and cash instead of credit cards to wisely use their money so they can track exactly how much they have spent.

“My credit card was locked out. I don’t want to use my debit card because that’s what I pay for my bills so I don’t touch that,” Hilligoss said. “I take cash with me. That’s it.”