The New Frugality

Last year, when I first introduced the concept of ecofrugality back on the old blog, I speculated that the Great Recession could be "the dawning of the age of ecofrugality," as people adopt green habits to save money. Now a new Associated Press survey suggests that I might actually have been right. Of 44 economists surveyed, two-thirds say that they believe the recession has created a "new frugality" that will continue even after the economy recovers. Interviews with ordinary American consumers support this view, as many say they no longer feel confident spending with abandon. The interviewees say they're sticking to new frugal habits such as gardening, air-drying her laundry, living without a landline phone, and shopping at Costco. As the AP article puts it, "many who became penny-pinchers during the recession are in no mood to start shopping again with abandon for clothes, cars and home additions. They've discovered the peace of mind that comes with rebuilding savings, shopping more prudently and learning to live with less." In a word: ecofrugal!

Which reminds me: my tenth article (and probably my last for the time being) is now up at Associated Content. It's a product review of Swheat Scoop, our favorite cat litter (and one that I consider highly ecofrugal, for reasons discussed in the article). So check that one out, and then I promise I'll stop bugging you for a while.