The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and their economic effects have changed U.S. consumers when it comes to money, prompting them to be more prudent spenders.

        Thirty-three percent of Americans are now more interested in building personal savings and 25 percent want to pay debt, according to a new survey by the Consumer Federation of America and Bank of America.

        Thirty-six percent are less interested in luxury purchases and 29 percent are less interested in lottery tickets. The Feb. 14-17 survey of more 1,000 adult Americans had a margin of error of three percentage points.

        Sept. 11 “caused Americans to reassess their priorities and take steps to shore up their balance sheets,” said Lynn Reaser, chief economist at Bank of America Capital Management.
—Jeff McKinney
       

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