Frugal Americans cutting back on bought lunches, bottled water and morning coffee

(Diego Cervo)

With lean economic teams still expected, Americans are adjusting their habits accordingly and making such lifestyle changes as buying generic food brands, brown-bagging their lunches and refilling their water bottles with tap water. A Harris Poll released last week surveyed 2,293 random US adults in early October to see how they were spending -- or trying not to spend -- their money -- and found that habits varied across generations.

- 64 percent said they were purchasing more generic food brands.
- 47 said they were bringing their lunches from home instead of purchasing them.
- 43 percent have been going to the hairdresser or barber less often.
- 36 percent are refilling their water bottles with tap water instead of buying bottled water.
- 34 percent are cancelling magazine subscriptions.

Smaller numbers, which are equally representative of millions of Americans, further revealed:

- 22 percent are cutting back on dry cleaning.
- 21 percent are cancelling or cutting back on cable TV.
- 20 percent have stopped buying coffee in the morning.
- 14 percent are using public transportation or ride-sharing.
- 12 percent have cancelled landline phone service and are using only cell phones.

The poll noted that the 18-32 demographic, called Echo Boomers, was more likely to brown-bag lunch than the over-64 set, but that Baby Boomers, aged 45-63, are more likely to buy generic brands of foods and also brown-bag their lunches.

http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/HarrisPollByDate2009.asp