Coffee Break

Almost a third of respondents said they plan to spend $300 or more on items like clothing, home decor, home office and school supplies this fall, while 16 percent intend to shell out at least $500.

Still, consumers worry about spending too much. One in five report having trouble staying within a budget.

"Consumers want to make sure they're spending their money wisely as they prepare for this busy time of the year," said Margo Georgiadis, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Discover Financial Services.

Nearly a third will use a credit card for their fall purchases.

Discover Card surveyed 1,031 adults nationwide by telephone in July.

TRAVEL LIGHT

Whether you're traveling to the beach or across an ocean this summer, a slimmer, trimmer wallet is a smarter wallet, according to American Express Co.

Typically, wallets hold everything from old receipts to business cards to scraps of paper with grocery lists. Before embarking on a trip, streamline your wallet:

• Make sure to keep a photo ID with you at all times. If you're out of the country, always carry your passport and leave a copy in your luggage. Leave your social security card at home.

• Carry a small amount of cash and one or two credit cards -- also some travelers checks if you're leaving the country.

• Keep your health insurance card with you.

• Nonessential items include debit cards, extra credit cards, shopper discount cards and membership cards. While you're cleaning, dump those extra receipts, too.

BIG WHEELS

Think that Mercedes-Benz parked in the office lot belongs to someone in the C-suite? Think again. According to one survey, a chief executive is more likely to drive a Chevy than a Mercedes.

Even though 59 percent of respondents think a typical CEO owns a luxury vehicle, only 19 percent of the surveyed CEOs said they did.

More than half drive a passenger car or SUV. Thirteen percent drive a pickup truck. CEOs are least likely to drive a van or a sports car.

While most respondents estimated CEOs shelled out $70,000 or more for their primary cars, CEOs actually spent an average of $25,000. One in four CEOs spent less than $20,000.

Cars.com and Careerbuilder.com conducted the survey, which polled 2,000 respondents from the general public.

Associated Press