Consumers ‘better at managing money’

THE economic downturn has made consumers better money managers with the majority thinking more carefully about purchases.

Consumers still, however, remain negative and are showing little signs of an increased willingness to part with their cash.

The KBC/ESRI consumer sentiment index fell to 48.1 in October, compared with 52.4 in September and 54.2 in September 2009. The October reading still remains above the all-time low in July 2008 of 39.6.