21 Things We're Learning to Live Without

Monthly payments:
Before the recession, consumers worried less about taking on debt, as long as their income could cover the monthly payments. No more.

Window shopping:

Browsing used to be an acceptable pastime. But consumers have discovered that window shopping encourages them to buy lots of things they don't need.

Bells and whistles:
The technology arms race is slowing, with consumers gravitating to simpler gizmos like Netbooks, prepaid cell phones, and older used electronics.

Clutter:
As Americans downsize, do more of their own cleaning, and look for stuff they can sell online, they’re discovering tons of things around the house they can get rid of without even noticing.

Cable TV:
Many people are cutting back on pay-TV services or canceling them altogether, which saves $50 to $100 a month. Alternatives: Watching free programs on Hulu or YouTube, or simply turning off the TV.

A home phone:
How many phones do you need, anyway? With cell phones ubiquitous and online voice service cheap, the home phone is becoming redundant.

Privacy:
Got room on the couch? To save on rent or mortgage payments, roommates are doubling up and grown kids are moving back in with their parents.

Prepared foods:
More people are cooking at home, and they're doing it with fewer pre-made sauces, marinades, dressings and other ingredients. Fresh foods turn out to be healthier, and sometimes cheaper.

Tupperware Parties:
Sales of Tupperware and other storage products are up, but some consumers are skeptical of “home parties” where the host sells goods in exchange for free merchandise.

Packaged cigarettes:
The average price of cigarettes is about $5 a pack or $45 a carton, which mounts quickly for regular puffers.

Lattes:
The $5 daily coffee is always one of the first small luxuries to go. But more people are brewing at home. Sales of single-serving home brewing machines, for example, have soared.

Guilt:
Keeping up with all the latest trends and technology takes an emotional toll. One woman who has stopped trying says, “I feel like I'm in charge of my life instead of multinational corporations telling me what to consume.”

Extra calories:
Some people are drinking more water or doing other things to to suppress their appetite. Restaurant diners are splitting entrees and finding other ways to trim the check.

Newspapers and magazines:
Millions have canceled subscriptions to print periodicals and started getting free news and information online.

Healthcare:
A forced reduction in healthcare coverage is probably one of the most crushing effects of a weak economy, as the unemployed and others without insurance make drastic tradeoffs to cut costs and get by.

New gifts:
Consumers are devising new strategies for regifting—to make sure they don’t get caught—or “shopping” for presents in their closet or basement.

New cars:
It’s no secret that new-car sales have plunged, but many buyers who have traded down to a used model are surprised at the quality of the merchandise.

Comfort:
Thermostats all across America are going lower in winter, higher in summer. Shorter showers can save big bucks. And you don’t need to run the water the whole time you’re brushing your teeth.

A daily commute:
If you’re unemployed, obviously there’s no job to drive to, one reason the amount of vehicle miles driven has dipped to 2004 levels (and traffic on some of the most congested highways has eased).

Fancy dates:
Courtship is a bit of a comedown these days, with discount-dating advisers suggesting home-made meals, free performances, and even yard sales as alternative to costly dates.

Debt:
Total credit-card debt is about 7 percent lower than it was a year ago, with Americans paying down more than $100 billion in credit-card loans since October 2008. And household "deleveraging" seems to be intensifying, not slowing down.




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I believe it applies not just to Americans...

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Forwarded by Raine Janees
blog from: RICK NEWMAN