Consumers Are Still Dining Out

Posted by: Monica Gagnier on July 30

I’ll admit to being a little skeptical when I saw the results of this survey about recession spending that was sponsored by ShopDebtFree.com.

According to the report, 48% of 1,200 consumers surveyed by Javelin Strategy & Research say dining out is the leading area where they have not cut back on spending over the past six months.

Why am I suspicious? Because restaurant meals are the first things to get the axe in my household when times are tough. If I had been surveyed, I would have voted for car repair and maintenance as the area where I haven’t reduced spending, despite the recession.

However, that’s not even in the top five areas where consumers say they aren’t tightening their belts. After dining out, the top items that consumers said they were still spending money on include: travel (33%), apparel (32%), pet care (23%), and concert and movie tickets (22%).

What is interesting to note about the survey is that it was conducted exclusively online. Perhaps folks who spend a lot of time on the Internet haven’t been hit as hard by the downturn as those on the other side of the Digital Divide. Or it could be that restaurant meals provide recession-weary consumers with a mini-vacation.

Where are you skimping in your household to make ends meet? For instance, I started noticing a lot more runners in my neighborhood last fall after the financial crisis, leading me to conclude that they had dropped their gym memberships to save money. But maybe moms just had more time on their hands because the kids were back in school. In the ShopDebtFree.com survey, 16% of consumers said they were still spending on gym memberships, making it No. 10 on the list.

Here’s the full list of 17 items that consumers are still buying, despite the recession:

1. Dining Out (48%)

2. Travel (33%)

3. Apparel, Clothes (32%)

4. Pet Care (23%)

5. Concert or Movie Tickets (22%)

6. Cosmetics, Hair Treatments (20%)

7. New Music or DVDs (19%)

8. Toys, Hobbies, Video Games (18%)

9. Electronics (18%)

10. Gym Membership (16%)

11. Automotive or Car Parts (15%)

12. Sporting Events, Sporting Goods (12%)

13. Going out to bars or clubs (12%)

14. Home Appliances or Furniture (10%)

15. Home Hardware (8%)

16. Massages or Other Personal Care (7%)

17. Other (7%)