this program is made possible by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. captioning sponsored by wpbt susie: good evening, everyone. mixed signs today about the mind-set of consumer. they re spending a bit more, but tom, they are still uneasy about the economy. tom: that s right, susie. we saw conflicting reports today. retail sales for december rose six-tenths of percent the biggest annual gain since 1999. but, a measure of consumer sentiment took a unexpected dip in january. susie: so are consumer attitudes changing when it comes to money. suzanne pratt gets some answers. reporter: since the great recession americans have gotten a lot more familiar with these little guys. that s because we re saving more, spending less and paying down debt. barbara whitehead, director of the templeton center for thrift and generosity, says our rediscovered frugality is here to stay. just even in a cultural way, it s a shift. it s a sort of change of pa
this program is made possible by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. captioning sponsored by wpbt susie: good evening, everyone. mixed signs today about the mind-set of consumer. they re spending a bit more, but tom, they are still uneasy about the economy. tom: that s right, susie. we saw conflicting reports today. retail sales for december rose six-tenths of percent the biggest annual gain since 1999. but, a measure of consumer sentiment took a unexpected dip in january. susie: so are consumer attitudes changing when it comes to money. suzanne pratt gets some answers. reporter: since the great recession americans have gotten a lot more familiar with these little guys. that s because we re saving more, spending less and paying down debt. barbara whitehead, director of the templeton center for thrift and generosity, says our rediscovered frugality is here to stay. just even in a cultural way, it s a shift. it s a sort of change of pa