In a new poll released this morning, Americans across ALL income brackets are just buying the basics. The area that is getting hurt the most: vacations. But surprisingly, the grocery store is being affected as well. More Americans are shopping at discount grocery stores like Wal-Mart. Check out these numbers:
43% are cutting back on groceries
68% are dining out less often
What does this show? According to CNBC’s Senior Economics Reporter Steve Liesman, “a stunning loss of confidence in the economy.” And for the first time, wealthy Americans are starting to pinch pennies with the rest of the country’s population. What are some of the changes seen in the market?
Trading in pricey cuts of steak for cheaper chicken and buying beer instead of hard alcohol. Use of coupons has also reached an all-time high.
73% of Americans are driving less (really? I don’t see this happening – ANYWHERE – especially in Atlanta where traffic is always bumper to bumper)
68% are reducing their travel plans
What caused the issue? Experts point to $4.00 a gallon gas prices. I see that as just an excuse. Economic woes are never due to simply the price of fuel. Sorry, but I’m going to get a little rough here. If the price of fuel was such an issue for Americans, you’d see more bikes being ridden, fewer errands to the “corner store”, more car pooling, better tuned engines, heck, even the proper air pressure in tires being done.
But no, none of that is happening? Why? Because the average American is just too damn lazy and doesn’t want to be a part of the solution, they’d just rather bitch about the problem. Want proof? Tomorrow morning when you drive to work, pay attention to the parking lots at the 2-3 gyms you pass. They’re probably packed, right? Hello?!?!?! You’re going to the gym to work out. How about you JOG or ride your bike there?!?! But you’re going to drive?!?! That makes for a classic line:
“You know, I use to jog five miles a day until I realized I could do it a lot faster in my car.” – Anon
Soon I will write about “entitlement” and how it has ruined the American economy, not the fuel prices, and until that is changed, America will continue to struggle and experts will still be clueless as to why. In the meantime, with the trust and confidence weak, it is up to you to review your offers and promote your services effectively. Even in a down economy you can make your offer irresistible.
The main reason I started the SEO Revolution was out of frustration. Frustration at all of the lies and misconceptions that are posted in forums, given as advice in teleconferences, and even taught in live workshops. "So why didn't all of this work?" " Why wasn't my site successful?" " Why am I still stuck in a rut?" 
It is the same in Spain Jerry, you are not alone at getting frustrated by the attitude of those around us. I have a 15 week old puppy who needs a lot of walking which is the best thing in the world as I have the best of all worlds I get to walk and have fun!
I guess having a gym and an office where I can take my dog within 3 miles of my home also helps as I don’t really need the car. I have to use it 3 times a week maximum.
I have started offering free petrol vouchers to clients that spend over a certain amount a month which seems to be a good offer at the moment! Silly thing is I don’t feel this is me doing my bit as it is encouraging people to drive. Catch 22 eat or help the environment?
hi Jerry, I couldn’t agree with you more. I live in Southern California and have yet so see less traffic on the freeways, and it still looks like 30-50% of the vehicles on the road are SUVs (and BIG SUVS). I personally wouldn’t mind if there were less many traffic jams and I could commute at the speed limit instead of 10-15 miles an hour (well, actually very few people drive the “speed limit” when traffic is flowing, but that’s another matter). I hear lots of complaining about the price of gas and politicians promising, but I just don’t see people driving any less. That said, high oil prices can and will hurt our economy, and if that means less people buy a trade show display, I am going to be bummin… I don’t want to live on peanut butter and pasta! ~ Steve
Beside the fact that in Europe gas is costing a bit more..€5.3 / gallon = 8.32$ /gallon, we are also bitching.
Vacations aren’t really affected in Europe, groseries are as well as restaurant meals.
Its a phycological pnenomena, news items about raising prices reduce the economy, not the lower spending budgets itself.
Because most people don’t follow up their own budget on a tide schedule
the “small businesses” that have been and will be destroyed were done in by their own failure to meet the needs of consumers. the real complaint for Walmart comes from its shareholders – they haven’t made a penny in over 12 years