Luxury vs. necessity: We're living with less
— -- A few years back, the list of "gotta-haves" for many Americans included a car, TV, microwave oven, home air conditioning and dishwasher.
Now, not so much.
A Pew Research Center survey out today finds that the recession mindset has shifted items that three years ago were seen as necessities to the luxury category.
That altered opinion applies to such kitchen conveniences as the microwave. In a 2006 Pew survey of luxuries and necessities, 68% believed it was a necessity. Now 47% think so. Just over half of those surveyed (52%) say a TV is a necessity today, down from 64% in 2006.
The landline and cellphone survey of 1,003 Americans conducted April 2-8 (margin of error plus or minus 3.6 percentage points) found appliances such as a dishwasher or clothes dryer are now considered more discretionary. Now just 21% (down from 35%) say a dishwasher is a necessity and 66% (down from 83%) say the same for a dryer.
Pew researchers also asked about changed behaviors in the wake of the downturn and how much their lives have been affected, finding that:
•27% report they or someone in their household had lost a job or been laid off in the past year.
•80% have taken steps to economize.
•20% say they're doing more work in and around their homes.
"Regardless of age, gender, education and other social or economic characteristics, the change in attitudes toward these consumer goods has occurred quickly and broadly throughout the population," the report says.
It also found technology is more indispensable, with cellphones and high-speed Internet either still as necessary as three years ago or gaining ground. Just under half (49%) of those surveyed this month said cellphones are a necessity — the same percentage as in 2006. But high-speed Internet picked up 2 percentage points, increasing to 31%.
One factor may be that the lines between work and home are blurring, says Stephen Sweet, an associate sociology professor at Ithaca College in Ithaca, N.Y. He says many employees are expected to be reachable anytime, work at home when necessary and sometimes bring kids to the office.
