THE RECESSION HAS MADE US WISER BUYERS

We're making purchasing decisions more carefully and buying from companies whose values match our own," says John Gerzema, author of the new book Spend Shift: How the Post-Crisis Values Revolution Is Changing the Way We Buy, Sell and Live. Here, three ways the recession has made us more mindful when we open our wallets.
THEN: Credit NOW: Debit
Americans still love plastic, but the recession has inspired us to cut up our credit cards in favor of
the debit variety. "We've started spending money that's really ours, which has forced us to separate our wants from our needs," says Gerzema. Televisions, for example, are moving down the priority list: In a 2010 survey from the Pew Research Center, 42 percent of Americans consider owning a TV a necessity, down 10 percent from 2009. Cars, home computers, and landline phones also made fewer must-have lists, according to the survey.
THEN: Take NOW: Make
"Instead of spending money out of pocket, we're now trying to do things ourselves," says Gerzema. Walmart reports that sales of starter sewing kits increased 30 percent in 2009. More than 5,000 home-landscaping businesses died in 2009, according to market research firm SBI, as homeowners started mowing their own lawns. And six-year-old Make magazine, a do-it-yourself guide, has expanded its brand to include books and a television series. "This big push toward doing things ourselves is a response to the helplessness we felt during the recession," says Gerzema.
THEN: Alone NOW: Together

YOU'RE THE BOSS The consumer has more control than ever, says author John Gerzema.

"We're sophisticated buyers now," says Gerzema, citing two start-ups that have taken off thanks to community-driven buying. Groupon, "the fastest growing company in Web history," according to forbes .com, offers daily discounts at local businesses after a predetermined number of people sign up for the offer. Carrotmob, now active in more than 20 countries, encourages consumers to support businesses that make environmentally friendly changes. b. d.

HOUSEBOUND BY THE WAIT-AND-SEE ECONOMY

In fall 2006, near the height of the housing boom, Valerie and Ty Davis closed on a four-bedroom house in an up-and-coming neighborhood 20 miles south of Birmingham, Alabama. Plenty of room, fair price, good resale value—it was a great deal. Later on, in January 2008, the couple decided they wanted to live closer to Ty's then-five-year-old son, who was living with his mom in Oklahoma. By that time, how-ever, the recession had set in, the housing market had cratered, and the Davises couldn't find a buyer. "The belief that we could relocate easily was a major misconception and something I'll be wary about the next time we buy," says Ty, 36, who owns a recreational vehicle marketing and sales company. Three years later, the Davises are still putting off the move, waiting for the economy to recover. "Ty's family keeps asking when we're going to sell it, but it's just not that easy," says Valerie, 28. "And we're not about to just jump in again."
Despite the disappointments of the past few years, the couple's prudent decision to put a large down payment on their house has kept them from having to sell at a loss. "Now we have the option of staying in the house until the market improves, and we're going to remain patient until the right opportunity comes along," says Ty. Meanwhile, he and Valerie have had to cope with fewer visits to his son, as rising airfares have turned travel to Oklahoma into a budget buster. "Being away from my son has been a daily struggle," says Ty. "I hope that I'll have the opportunity to be with him regularly soon. Until then, I'm thankful that he has an incredible family in Oklahoma."

Retiring, Ready or Not

It's easy to say that one should delay retirement if you sit behind a desk each day ("The Roundup: When Can You Retire?"). Try spending over 40 years of your life in a factory, and see how you feel about retiring "early." I'm 62 and will retire this spring because my body can't handle it anymore. I've paid into the system since I was 16, and I deserve every penny I get from Social Security.
Phil O'Neal, Maywood,Missouri
I just hope I can find somewhere in the workplace to hang my walker when I need it—and I'm a nurse!
Renee Skutt, Midland,Michigan

Who's to Blame, Really?

  Gene Cranick "forgets" to pay his fire dues, and the fire department is vilified for not providing a service it wasn't paid to perform ("The 2010Blame & Shame Awards"). If Mr. Cranick forgets to pay his subscription to Reader's Digest, do you keep sending the magazine? His offer to pay for the service while the house is on fire is akin to paying for car insurance after a wreck. Irresponsibility has consequences.
  The people in that poor family lost their home, and their four animals burned to death—all for a measly $75 fee? Everyone involved in letting that happen should be arrested for animal cruelty. 

Food Fight?

  It takes only a bit of common sense to see that the low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet isn't working ("Is This Any Way to Lose Weight?"). I had a baby eight months ago, and I currently weigh less than I did before I got pregnant. I was able to lose the weight by consuming a diet full of naturally occurring fats (such as whole milk, avocados, and butter) and eliminating processed foods. I also have great energy, my sugar cravings have decreased, and I no longer feel weak before meals.
  It's not just food. Rest, movement, diet, and genetics all play a part in determining our physical health. I'm not a big sugar fan and agree that highly processed foods are empty calories. However, it's the lack of movement and sleep, along with large portions, that cause the weight gain in most people.

Get Outta Town!

  Planning a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants weekender without a lot of fuss? It's the new year! Hit your favorite sun-drenched winter hideaway in style with this duffel's worth of essentials.
  

Chairman of the Board

  World-champion surfer KELLY SLATER rules personal style as effortlessly as he does the unruliest of waves.
  ack when he was costar-ring on Baywatch in the early 1990s, 20-year-old Kelly Slater became the youngest surfer ever to win the world championship. Now at 36—and a record nine pro-surfing titles later—the Quciksilver athlete has this year become the oldest world champion in the history of the sport. He's posed for Versace, jammed with Ben Harper, penned a memoir, and dated Gisele Bundchen and Pamela Anderson. But after 30 years of hanging 10, the kid from Cocoa Beach isn't about to hang up his neoprene and walk into the sunset...or clam up about his run-in swith killerwaves and wild women.. .or stop dressing like he hasn't a care in the world. On a recent afternoon at a beach-side ranch near Santa Barbara, the East Coast short-boarder mixed and matched some of this season's coolest designs and sportswear as deftly as he conquers hardcore curls. Some things just come naturally.
WHEN WAS THE MOMENT YOU WENT FROM SURFER DUDE TO SURFER CELEBRITY?
When I was 20. For people who become well-known, there's usually a point at which that knowledge of your name surpasses who you really are. Baywatch thrust me into fame immediately. I did win the world title my first time that same year, but the number of people who hear about that through the media as compared to the people who see Baywatch on TV is kind of minuscule.

YOU'VE HAD PLENTY OF HIGH-PROFILE GIRLFRIENDS. WAS THAT A PART OF FAME?

No, it's just the circles that you run in. Dating Gisele Bundchen and Pam Andersonjust happened organically, because we used to work together. But some of it was bullshit, completely blown out ofproportion. I never dated Cameron Diaz, for instance. She's like my sister. She's like a dude.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL STYLE?
Sloppy. My girlfriend tries to style me. She makes fun of me because ' I don't care. I. just throw on whatever's comfortable and what's relatively clean. I've never been into the baggy stuff. Pants are supposed to sit on your hips. I like to wear jeans that I don't have to wear a belt with, and maybe a T-shirt, or maybe just a pair of shorts. The only time I get dressed up is when I go golfing.
HOW DOES THE SURF CULTURE MIX WITH GOLF?
When the water's flat, we golf. We travel to all these tropical places, and there are usually golf courses around. For years we didn't know anything about golf, but then we discovered something possibly as challenging as surfing—or at least as frustrating to learn as surfing is in the beginning.

 

Create a new classic: Creamy Philly Mustard Chicken!

Prep: 30 min. Makes: 4 servings
1 tsp. oil 1/3 cup 25%-less-sodium chicken broth
4 small boneless skinless chicken 1/4 cup Philadelphia Cream Cheese Spread
breasts (1 lb./450 g) 1 Tbsp. old-style mustard
HEAT oil in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add chicken; cook 6 to 8 min. on each side or until done. Transfer to plate; cover to keep warm. ADD broth to skillet; cook on medium heat 3 to 5 min. or until hot. Add Philly and mustard; cook and stir 2 to 3 min. or until cream cheese is completely melted and sauce is well blended and slightly thickened. Pour over chicken and serve with your favourite sides.