Morning Money Memo:

Eight months after General Motors began recalling more than 2 million cars because of a deadly ignition-switch defect, less than half the owners have gotten their vehicles fixed. The parts are available, but many drivers may not know how serious this is. GM has started sending out Facebook messages and making phone calls to owners, urging them to get the switches replaced. CEO Mary Barra says in some cases GM has gone to owners' homes to get the vehicle, providing a loaner car while the fix is made. The switches can slip out of the run position, causing the engine to shut off, knocking out power-assisted steering and disabling air bags. The defect has been linked to at least two dozen deaths.

The number of people killed in crashes caused by the defective GM switches rose to 24. Compensation expert Kenneth Feinberg, who runs the company's victims fund, said he certified them as eligible for settlements, one more than a week ago. "He has received applications from 165 families claiming to have lost a loved one in an accident caused by malfunctioning ignition switches, up from 153 a week ago," reports The Detroit Free Press.

Samsung, the world's biggest smartphone maker, is facing sharply lower profits, dragged down by weak sales of the newest Galaxy smartphone. Samsung became the biggest smartphone brand on the popularity of earlier Galaxy models. But the bigger screen on Apple's new iPhone 6 is luring away Americans who liked the bigger Galaxy, while in China local brands are making inroads into Samsung's business. Analysts have repeatedly cut forecasts of Samsung's profit this year as Galaxy sales lagged behind expectations. They say earnings in the quarter ending in September could suffer their biggest decline in Samsung's recent history.

A stronger holiday shopping season is being forecast. The National Retail Federation expects spending at stores to rise more than 4 percent compared with last year. But retail analysts say shoppers will need fat discounts, and there will be a huge divide in spending between the haves and have-nots. Wages aren't rising faster than expenses, making it hard for the average consumer to juggle living expenses. "We expect shoppers will be extremely price sensitive as they have been for quite some time," says Matthew Shay, NRF president and CEO. "In the grand scheme of things, consumers are in a much better place than they were this time last year, and the extra spending power could very well translate into solid holiday sales growth for retailers; however, shoppers will still be deliberate with their purchases, while hunting for hard-to-pass-up bargains." Among the best deals for shoppers around Black Friday will be TVs, cameras, laptops and appliances, says Mark LoCastro of the shopping website dealnews.com. His advice: "Please wait until Black Friday, the deals will be so much better than the deals in October." Prices for new TVs are tempting now. "We're seeing 55-inch LCDs go for as low as $380. 60, plasmas going for as low as $550," but LoCastro says they be "10 even 20 percent cheaper if you wait until Black Friday."

Richard Davies Business Correspondent ABC News Radio abcnews.com Twitter: daviesnow