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Poll: Consumers Feel Less Anxiety From Debt

WASHINGTON - Debt isn't stressing people as much as it had been, but consumers remain gun-shy about embarking on a big holiday spending spree.

An Associated Press-GfK Poll also suggests Americans are more disciplined about using their credit cards. Deep into a stubbornly harsh economic downturn, more people than last year say they pay
off their balances right away. Fewer say they make credit card purchases if they lack enough money at the time.

Fifty-nine percent said they feel little or no stress from their family's debt from mortgages, credit cards and other loans. That's an improvement from the 49 percent who said so a year ago, with
women and city residents reporting significantly less tension than last year.