“Amid the threat of tough economic times, Internet and cellphones have become almost like heat and water for consumers – they are among the last monthly expenses that households are willing to cut from their budgets during a recession,” Grant Robertson reports for The Globe and Mail.
“A survey conducted last week in Canada and the U.S. suggests that if consumers are forced to reduce spending, they will look almost everywhere else in their household budgets before they unplug their computer or switch off their [cell phone],” Robertson reports.
“‘Many consumers, with minor exceptions, view these as essential utilities, like water or electricity,’ says the report, which was compiled from interviews with 800 consumers last week, and is expected to be released today,” Robertson reports.
“‘People were saying, ‘It’s not going to happen – you would have to pry it out of my hands,’ that kind of language,’ said Kaan Yigit, head of Solutions Research Group, the Toronto firm that produced the report,” Robertson reports.
“This time, the casualties of belt-tightening will come elsewhere,” Robertson reports
Ranking consumer targets for cuts:
1. Big-ticket events (eg. concerts, sports)
2. Movie-going
3. DVD buying
4. Magazine subscription renewals/newsstand
5. Cable/satellite TV extras
6. Video game buying
7. Home phone
8. Mobile/wireless phone
9. DVD Rentals
10. Home Internet
Solutions Research Group
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Shawn P” for the heads up.]
I would give up #1-9 before giving up #10.
But hey, that’s just me…
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MaWo: ‘fine’. As in: ‘What I am, with it…’
I wanna meet the guy who gives up water before text messaging. Oh wait, that’s me!
Interesting but the list is some what wrong.
Ranking consumer targets for cuts:
1. Big-ticket events (eg. concerts, sports)
2. Movie-going
3. DVD buying
4. Magazine subscription renewals/newsstand
5. Music subscription services (includes satellite radio)
6. Cable/satellite TV extras
7. Video game buying
8. Home phone (Landline)
9. Heath Care (limiting Dr. visits & skipping some prescriptions)
10. DVD & Game Rentals
11. reduce Insurance coverages
12. Mobile/wireless phone
13. Home Internet
Amazing thing for me is DVD rentals. People would give up their home phone, even limit health care (doctors and prescription drugs) before they cut down on renting movies.
Studios must be thrilled…
My list
1. Cutting (paid) Sex
2. DVD buying, wait, I don’t buy DVDs anymore
3. Alcohol, wait, who am I kidding
4. Movie going, like $8 a week or month is going to save me
5. Restaurant going, yeah, that’s the savings I need.
6. Mall downgraded to WalMart and TJMaxx
Because a lot of folks know there are several items on that list above can be obtained using the internet. Can’t cut the distribution channel.
@Macromancer
exactly. i can get most of the stuff on that list as long as i have internet
short dell
ha ha
People who are laid off or about to be don’t cut their job-hunting lifelines.