Cheerful Frugality Seeks Value
In these depressing economic days, I always appreciate a little perspective and humor. Today, NPR's Morning Edition interviewed Howard Davidowitz about the bad news for retailers.
(You can listen to the 5-minute story here.)
Steve Inskeep asked Davidowitz if the last 5 boom years have been a mirage. Davidowitz had a cheerfully realistic reply:
"We've had a free lunch, now we've got to pay for dinner."
Davidowitz reports that discretionary purchasing is down, while back-to-basics and value retailers are doing well. This is why Walmart (food, tires, and underwear) is up, and Target (impulse buys and cute home stuff) is down.
This is little surprise to the frugal crowd, who've been scouting Dollar Tree for years now. But even the thriftiest among us are sobering up about discretionary spending (witness my buyer's remorse and subsequent sale of secondhand pottery).
What I am cheerful about is the overall marketing trend toward value-based choices.
Has anyone noticed the Target commercials that tout "a new day" and "a new way to save?" Instead of a new entertainment room, we see a new tent in the back yard. Instead of a trip to the movies, we see a couple watching a DVD in front of a cozy fireplace/flat screen combo.
Granted, the prices are still a little high on the hog for my family. (We'd pick the 99-cent Redbox movie over a $14 Target DVD.) But isn't it nice to see marketing that plays to our way of thinking for a change?
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5 Responses to “Cheerful Frugality Seeks Value”
November 3rd, 2008 at 3:33 pm
The thing that makes is giggle is how old ways to save money are being reporting as the New Way to Be Responsible With Your Money. Like using Layaway for purchasing Christmas gifts. I remember my mother doing that and in the past I’ve done it too, although not now because I shop all year long for meaningful holiday and birthday gifts for family members so I don’t get a big smack in the December budget.
November 3rd, 2008 at 8:43 pm
I actually have a link to one of those commercials on my blog. I’m a bit more pessimistic about them though. I don’t think they are reflecting my values as much as they are trying to exploit consumers in a different way. Like you said their solutions are still expensive and most of them are unnecessary.
November 3rd, 2008 at 9:15 pm
I have to agree with the fact that what so many report as living frugally is still way out of my price range. But like many I may never see middle class. Heck I just want to hit poverty level.
November 4th, 2008 at 10:12 am
I’m missing something here. I listened to the Morning Edition link and I have reread the post, but I see no humor. I think everything was scary news and I didn’t pick up on a single humourous line. Maybe I am just dense and/or without a sense of humor. As for the pottery you regret buying, now that would make me smile and I would enjoy them unless of course I had to sell them for a profit, and in today’s economy, we must do what is necessary to survive. I hope someone has the discretionary income to buy them from you.
November 6th, 2008 at 6:07 am
I had to laugh at the morning news reporting that the new trend is ~ thrift stores and paying off debt.
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