Nine Ways Americans Are Cutting Back To Save Money: Harris Interactive

Americans are still feeling the effects of a recession that officially ended two years ago, and according to a new survey by Harris Interactive, published this week, there is no end in sight to the penny pinching and wallet tightening.

Harris Interactive surveyed 2,163 adults online. between June 13-20 and within the United States, and then weighted the results to reflect the composition of the adult population. Revealed was that Americans foresee the economy getting worse before it gets better. That isn't entirely unexpected, since just weeks before the survey was conducted, the Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index fell to 58.5 from 6.17.

Are you feeling the pressure to scrimp and save even more than before? Take a look through some of the things ways people are changing their spending habits in order to buckle down. Which of these would you consider doing yourself?

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Stopped Buying A Morning Cup Of Coffee

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Comments

[JoeWolfe]

10:16 PM on 07/25/2011

One way to save money is to take a good look at your banking fees and your particular banking habits. Another bank may be a better match and cost you less. How much are you being charged for ATM fees, checks, over-drafts, statement fees, etc... Not using the ATM so much (you can get cash back for free when you shop) can actually save a bundle if you add it up for the entire year - one trip to the ATM can pay for the fancy coffee. I refuse to bank with any bank that charges a bank statement fee and I expect my checks to be free if I order a basic style.

Another tip is to use an insurance broker the next time you need insurance instead of going direct to a single company. A broker can shop it with many companies and get you a much lower rate. I've turned many friends on to this and almost all of them ended up saving hundreds of dollars.

Joe Wolfe
http://how-to-make-money-with-penny-stocks.blogspot.com/

[Michael Frayn]

01:31 AM on 08/06/2011

This blog Is very informative ,I am really pleased to post comment on this blog .you explain each and every point very well.

http://www.madmoneyalerts.com/

[Kent Forrest]

10:00 PM on 07/23/2011

We still eat out but only drink water with our meals. With soft drinks going for $2.00, add tax and tip and a glass runs about $2.75 each or $5.50. This makes up about 1/4 of a luncheon and 1/5+ of a dinner bill

[cincinnati]

12:49 AM on 07/21/2011

High gas prices ALONE are a serious problem for most familes
and any sort of decent recovery. People go out less, so
restaurants lay off people or close, and they psychologically
also turn off, spending less on practically everything
[ ok, if from China not so bad...]

So call/write the media, Congress, WH, your local paper or radio,
and demand Obama opens the Strategic Reserves even more.
He finally did it a few weeks ago but not enough, a few more
times will increase supply and drive the speculators nuts.

We could be looking at $ 3 gas if we do this, and that
alone will help a great deal. Then when oil is traditionally
cheaper in the fall or winter the SR buys it back, making
a nice profit for the US.

[bobquinn]

03:37 PM on 07/20/2011

A realistic answer is here Mr. President. Novel Silent Brand, page 47-51.

[bobquinn]

03:33 PM on 07/20/2011

Read a book, Silent Brand, chapter "January 28, 1846." The answer is here and realistic.Page 47

Might become a film. Please read it Mr. President.

[Mr Lingus]

01:13 PM on 07/20/2011

Restaurants and shops are failing right and left due to lack of disposable income, there is a mall in south florida that has so many empty places that once used to be thriving eateries and shops....it's sign of the times...and is only getting worse

[Djay0252]

04:36 PM on 07/19/2011

I stopped buying Starbucks over priced coffee

[cmcclarty]

05:00 AM on 07/20/2011

Same here I went to a sort of hippy place and it was still as high if not more for some and it was not beans from Jamica. We live in a give me/ I must have/ im loving it/mind frame this recession I think may of put a wake up call to gen x and beyond.

[ecrichert12]

03:02 PM on 07/19/2011

Great, someone who blames the failures of the magazine and newspaper industries on the economy, rather than an out of date business model.

Is the economy also the reason why no one is buying cassette tapes?

[Djay0252]

04:38 PM on 07/19/2011

No but 8 tracts are definately on the decline

[GenuineNerd]

10:56 PM on 07/19/2011

Even CD's are eventually going the way of the 8 track, the cassette, and the 78, although the LP vinyl record is sort of making a comeback, thanks to the renewed interest (and sales) of turntables and "retro style" phonographs, especially those that can connect to the USB port of a computer, to allow you to make MP3/WAV/iTunes files of your vinyl.

[cmcclarty]

04:52 AM on 07/20/2011

My dad has a collection of 8 tracks he sells them for more then they cost back in the day at car shows with people that have them in there muscle cars lol.

[Muhtadi]

10:15 PM on 07/18/2011

Maybe if we "stimulate" (no pun intended) people by giving them money they will go back to buying things like $5 coffee and other things they really don't need and cannot afford..then maybe Starbucks will open a new shop and employee another 15 college kids with social science degrees .. everything will be peachy then! Lets spend our way out of this! We can do it :)

[VoodooDoll]

02:27 PM on 07/18/2011

I've always worn my hair super short and paid a small fortune getting it done.One day I bought some good barber clippers and did it myself.Looks exactly the same.Holy-Moley! The money I've wasted over the years!

[bryzon]

08:29 AM on 07/18/2011

Canceling cable and newspapers as well as using refillable bottles for water were already trends before the economy went to crap.

[talesofthegr]

01:08 PM on 07/16/2011

I'm starting a podcast along these same lines called Tales of the Great Recession to share peoples stories of long term joblessness, from the struggle of a long search to the joy of finding a job, and what you learned in-between. Please send your stories to [e-mail]. The first podcast will be available free through itunes on 7/22, and I plan on doing it as a weekly podcast for as long as the stories keep coming in.

[NonPrawf]

02:11 AM on 07/15/2011

I picked up smoking and then quit. Saved a lot of money once I stopped smoking.

[Georgia Yankee]

09:17 PM on 07/14/2011

Buy a travel cup and a pound of your favorite Starbucks. Costs about 10 cents a cup.

[Rouvey]

05:43 PM on 07/17/2011

Switch to Melilta and you''ll get it even cheaper

[GenuineNerd]

11:01 PM on 07/19/2011

Or if you own a Keurig brewer, buy the reusable K-cup and brew your own brand/flavor of coffee.

[bonbon]

12:17 AM on 07/14/2011

This is not too surprising. I've excluded all of these except TV cable which is already the lowest package they offer. Cell phone is minimal. Netflix (2 movies month) ;theater only 3-4 times year.
I call this "simple abundance."