Consumer confidence on the rise regarding 2010, says survey

While many consumers may be dealing with bill consolidation and other financial issues following the recession, more are becoming confident that their fortunes will improve in 2010.

According to the most recent WealthWizards Worry Index released on Tuesday, an increasing amount of consumers are expecting for their lives to improve once 2010 gets underway.

After only 46 percent of consumers anticipated a boost in their lives at the end of September, the percentage grew to 58 percent in October on October 31 before increasing yet again to 63 percent in the most recent survey taken November 30.

The reasoning behind the increased sentiment lay in the fact that more consumers are becoming sure that an economic recovery is slowly getting underway. Sixty-three percent of respondents said they felt the economic recovery had begun in late 2009 and would carry over into 2010.

"While there remain many challenges ahead for consumers – record high unemployment, increasing foreclosures, flat home values, and concerns about affordable healthcare – there now appears to be a glimmer of hope for a better economy in 2010," says Thomas Hertog, editor at Wealth Hazards.

Despite the optimistic outlook, the survey found that consumers were still worried about their jobs, healthcare, and a "double-dip" back into a recession.

Last week, the Reuters/University of Michigan index regarding consumer sentiment upwardly revised its rate to 67.4 in November from the 66.0 it had reported earlier.