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.