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06/23/2008, 5:38 PM

Industry/General

Small luxuries: The SUVs of everyday life

$4 a gallon gas has forced many Americans to drive less, but the high price of gas is also causing many to change their spending habits all together. A new survey reveals that many Americans are cutting out small luxury in order to keep their car’s tank topped off.

A new study conducted by Kelly Blue Book finds that one in four people has cut out Starbucks completely from their morning routine, with another 21 percent greatly reducing their patronage of the coffee house.

But Starbucks isn’t the only one feeling the squeeze. According to the survey, 28 percent of Americans say they have completely stopped buying DVDs and CDs, with another 33 percent reducing their purchasing habits.

Local sports teams are also feeling the economic crunch, with over 50 percent of those surveyed saying they don’t attend games as frequently as they once did.

Restaurants are the biggest losers, with 60 percent of people eating out less often.

The only vice not losing out to the pump? Candy. While many Americans are choosing a $4 gallon of gas over a $4 cup of joe, candy is still a sweet treat that we don’t mind shelling out for. “A dollar candy bar treat in the face of filling up the gas tank for nearly $100 can be a powerful psychological motivator,” James Russo, vice president of marketing for Nielsen’s food sector, told the Cincinnati Enquirer.

 
 

06/23, 5:43 PM

posted by:

ktulu

5-finger discount time!

06/23, 6:08 PM

posted by:

johnnycanuck

That’s odd. I figured most people would be cutting back on sex since they’re already getting screwed at the pump.

06/23, 6:16 PM

posted by:

brassmonkey

At these prices, I make my own brew each morning..
-
Gas Latte
-
gal $4.61 $30.00
16 oz $0.58 $3.75
oz $0.04 $0.23

06/23, 6:18 PM

posted by:

brassmonkey

try that formatting again
……..Gas……Latte
.
gal…..$4.61..$30.00
16 oz…$0.58…$3.75
oz……$0.04…$0.23

06/23, 6:23 PM

posted by:

Shismo

I can’t believe there are people who can stomach the crap that Starbucks calls “coffee”. Smells like bile and tastes like crap.

06/23, 6:27 PM

posted by:

beatusmongous

“many Americans are choosing a $4 gallon of gas over a $4 cup of joe”

Well, duh! The cup of Joe isn’t going to get you to work so you can make money to buy more.

06/23, 6:27 PM

posted by:

mayer_ray_nagin

Screw Starbucks. Every morning I make the following 6-espresso-shot cappuccino using very delicious italian espresso beans (Illy or Lavazza) for about 50 cents including the milk. The cup is about a half liter ….

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k148/WaaaaHoooo/Mondo-Cappuccino1.jpg

06/23, 7:18 PM

posted by:

darkom

I cut out Starbucks and I also stopped getting car washes as frequently. Last summer I’d get a $12 car wash every week, this summer I’ve been maybe once.

06/23, 7:22 PM

posted by:

kitko

OK, in Canada, I just bought a 2 liter botlle of Canada dry. 2.25, that’s 1.125 a liter. That’s almost as expensive as petrol.

I seriously doubt that to manufacture a liter of fizzy drink cost the same as to manufacture a litter of unleaded.

Either the petrol is incredibly cheap or soda is incredibly expensive :-)

Your choice, folks

06/23, 7:27 PM

posted by:

bolex

LOL johnnycanuck hahaha

06/23, 8:30 PM

posted by:

1981blueZ28

Aw dam it not another stupid study. Did you know most accidents occur at home? That’s right lots of hard earned tax payer money goes to stupid originations to tell us something that’s obvious. “well studies do show accidents happen more at home” Well no sh!t since I spend about %70 of my life in a home, so wouldn’t common sense let you know that yes more accidents do occur at home. “Well studies show that accidents happen less often well on vacation” since I only get a vacation about once every five years chances are that’s correct. Good job Research Department. What pi$$es me off more than these dopey studies, are studies that do studies to tell us studies are really a waste of tax payers money. I don’t think we need a team of “experts” to tell us another team of “experts” are wasting are money, isn’t that wasting money? I think they should let American’s vote what studies are allowed to be done because I don’t want some a$$ hole asking a group of “experts” to do a study on how bigger cars use more fuel than an economy car. You know instead of using these tax payers money on stupid studies let’s say we use them on better things like say school education just a thought. Since gas prices are going up I’m quite sure its common sense that people will start buying less things.

06/23, 10:07 PM

posted by:

A4

starbucks ****ing sucks i hate every single person that walks into that place “hi ill have a small hot chocolate”
“ONE TALL MOCHA ****IN THINGY”
jesus christ

06/23, 10:15 PM

posted by:

maxcar

starbucks is the k-mart of coffee

06/24, 12:47 AM

posted by:

elviososa

I now wash my car once in every 3 months. About the candy…it’s true…I still buy candy.

06/24, 4:45 AM

posted by:

Zo0M 6 Zo0M

“starbucks ****ing sucks i hate every single person that walks into that place “hi ill have a small hot chocolate”
“ONE TALL MOCHA ****IN THINGY””

you do realize Starbucks just doesn’t sell coffee??

I’ll take a strawberry lemonade venti blended

06/24, 6:28 AM

posted by:

DeansterTJ

MAyer Ray, that looks awesome. I’m a huge fan of making nice luxurious coffee at home. Agreed, why blow 5 bucks for the burnt crap they sell at Starbucks?

Lavazza espresso is the ****. Tasty as hell. Here’s another amazing recipe for Nescafe Frappe (iced coffee, French/Greek):

Tall glass - add one spoonfull sugar, one spoonfull Nescafe instant coffee. Add 3 oz of milk and spin it into a thick froth with a little propeller-mixer. Top it off with more frosty milk and water and a few ice cubes. This is the “frappe” Greece’s national drink, invented in France. AMAZING.

06/24, 8:56 AM

posted by:

mr.meanpants

My blender has a frappe mode… hmmmmmm.

06/24, 9:12 AM

posted by:

xyunya

One problem with this study, that they only went after Starbucks data. Truth is that they already peaked in US and were in decline due to market saturation and basic high cost. I see same laborers pickups and vans at the local deli serving breakfast every morning. CD/DVD’s are not selling for the past 2 years and it is due simple fact that people purchase their content on-line in digital form. Who has time and why would anyone transfer music from CD into iPod/iPhone? Another example of very poor use of statistics.

06/24, 9:27 AM

posted by:

HemiRoadRunner

I would love to fire up my military Power Wagon and run it through star bucks and take out everything inside. Fortunately, we don’t have any of those snobby @$$ coffee shops around here in north FL.

06/24, 10:25 AM

posted by:

xyunya

National Geographic reported that it had troubles finding fully developed Hom Sapience in Northern Florida, but gators were in great shape.

06/24, 12:18 PM

posted by:

TomF

Xyunuya is right on. Starbucks and CD sales were cratering well before gas prices went up. There’s no causal link. It’s like that old study that found 90% of heroin addicts drink milk.. therefore, gee, milk must cause heroin addiction.

It would be more productive to track individual consumer budgets over a long period of time and see how the dollars shift.

At our house we’re going to fewer movies and sneaking in our own snacks; not buying hardcover books or top-brand liquor; buying cheaper cuts of meat, etc. We already hate Starbucks and with iTunes it’s been years since any of us bought a CD.

06/24, 2:22 PM

posted by:

HemiRoadRunner

Here we go again…. Why do you constantly feel the need to start $H!T xyunya. What if I just come up to the arm pit of America known as NY and kick the $H!T out of your goofy @$$?

06/25, 8:40 AM

posted by:

fuzz40

Xyunya it is spelt Homo Sapiens. Maybe you need to cut back on the National Geographic, and pick up a dictionary.

 
 
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