Have consumers shifted to penny-pinching ways for good or will they resume spending as the economy rebounds?
With half (50.9%) indicating they will consider each purchase more carefully over the next five years, it appears that many have learned a long-term fiscal lesson as a result of the recession. Nearly as many say that they will become more price-conscious when buying clothing/food and that keeping a balanced budget will remain in the forefront: Personal/Financial While the current double-digit U.S. unemployment rate is likely keeping consumer sentiment and spending depressed, consumers remain relatively positive about the employment outlook for the first six months of the New Yearin January, 31.0% indicated more layoffs over the next six months, down just over a point from last month (32.5%) and nearly half the reading from a year ago (59.9%). Close to one in two (45.8%) contend that layoffs will remain the same, stable from December (45.7%) and rising from January 09 (30.5%). Nearly one in four (23.2%) are predicting layoffs to decline, up from 21.8% a month ago and more than double th
