Discretionary spending : Rooftop Views

Rooftop Views

Discretionary spending

In a tough economic climate, tighter budgets mean cutting back on discretionary spending. A recent survey from the National Retail Federation (NRF), however, offers some fascinating insights as to what that really means.

Internet Service – Six or seven years ago, spending on the Worldwide Web may have suffered significantly in a tougher economy. Not anymore - 81% of respondents of the NRF survey said they are willingly trapped in the Net.

Cell Phone Service – Cell phone service plus extras, like text messaging, music, ringtones, and software applications, can really start to add up. Nonetheless, 64% of respondents of the survey won't be hanging them up.

Cable TV – Bundling services like cable, Internet, and phone can save a little money each month. Maybe that's why 61% of survey respondents said they won't cut the cord on cable any time soon.

Hair Care – Looking our best apparently outweighs the expense. This means shaving the hair-care budget won't be happening for a solid 40% of survey respondents.

Dining Out – Whether it's fast-food or sit-down dining, going out for your meals can really eat away at your budget. But according to the NRF's survey, 37% of respondents still have a super-sized appetite for fast-food and one-third has no reservations against sit-down dining