I wonder if corporations’ downsizing is now eating into their collective customer base, and undercutting their own survival. If this is happening, it seems like a dangerous feedback loop.
I see this as well, but mostly the first part. In our part of Texas it’s mainly “future’s so bright we gotta wear shades”. But we drove through a LOT of small town America on our last RV trip* and many places were looking pretty grim (at least in the Midwest). After a few days, we realized almost every small town had a deserted or boarded up business/manufacturing area, and the only place thriving was either Wal Mart or the dollar store.
*Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, S Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, & New Mexico. (I’d bet New Mexico was the worst off)
We probably eat out only about half as often as we used to, but that is likely a function of age (79 and 80). In the last ten years, my wife has started doing most shopping online. Most books are e-books (unless we know they have illustrations–and I wish reviewers would warn us). On the other had, the stove stopped working about 10 days ago and the dishwasher really needed replacing and we went to Sears last Saturday. They had an appliance sale and we bought one of each.
We have a $1300.00 childcare bill to pay every month, but other than that I think we get out about as much as my parents did at our age. We do good amount of online shopping now. Mostly for gifts and odd things. I used to go to the mall once or twice a year around the holidays and now I never do. I still go to the hardware store for projects and such. Our house has gained around 100g’s in value with a good amount of investment and sweat equity.
Barring any unforeseen events we are working our hardest and are at our poorest, but that’s more a function of our life situation then any bigger picture change.
Movies: I stay way from them in the summer because teenagers are annoying. I;m off when most people are at work. So I’d usually go on a Thursday afternoon and basically have the whole theater to myself. Which was quite nice. That said though, I’ve recently upgraded my entertainment system. I doubt I’ll be going to the movies anytime soon.
Restaurants: There have been a lot of “Foodie” type places opening up in my neck of the woods. I’m a big fan and go on a weekly basis.
Shopping is done mostly online. Except for food or clothes.
Not quit, but heavily curtailed. Not really the price, as I don’t eat concession food and once in a month for a movie ticket is not that expensive. But that 3d fad, combined with the reserved seating, I pick and choose which movie I need to see on a big screen.
Smoking no longer allowed for the present, and being on the wrong side of the age spectrum to be going to what ever club might still actually be running. No one seems to be catering to a niche that might actually have money to spend, rather they cater to kids that preload six drinks or more, before going into the clubs, and buy one drink. So basically going out on a weekend night is a memory.
Rarely order online, but tend to go to thrift shops before the mall.
Long winters in Canada, so I am hoping to get out more this summer, decided that I could care less if customers requirements require mandatory overtime.
Only that getting older means I no longer buy clothes on a regular basis, for clubbing and what not. I’m looking for jeans that last ten years or more. Cost of beer at the bar, I am not even gonna stop in for a quick pint. Heard a commercial on the radio up here, that a case of beer (24) is only 50 dollars, concidering that back in the 80’s, 20 bucks was a night out, smokes, beer , cab ride home.
After talking with some of the kids, seems this is very boring decade to live in for them.
I rarely go out to movies nowadays, but I do go to the live theater a lot. Maybe once a month on average. That’s something that can’t be replicated at home.
I guess I’m one of those arty types someone mentioned earlier. I went into the city to go to museums three times this month.
I do buy a lot on line, though I just went to Costco to buy toilet paper and some groceries.
Still go to movies, we’re just way pickier about the movie, the venue, and the showtime. On that note, our local mega plexes have adopted (officially anyway) anti-nuisance policies. So far, so good on that score. YMMV
We eat out several times a month, but again, we’re much more choosy about the place–tend to go to the newer, independent, local places. We tend to regard dining as partly sustenance and partly entertainment, so we don’t mind spendy places–sometimes.
Shopping has been forever changed by Amazon and the likes, although we still use Costco. That’s unsurprising. We still do groceries and clothes locally. (again, picky)
I was doing most of my shopping online 10+ years ago and I’ve never liked to go out to movies or really spend money going out to eat when I can cook better at home. So, not much really. Some of it’s a choice, some of it is that my monthly grocery cost is more than some people make working fulltime and I can’t justify dropping 100 bucks or more to see a movie or something else that gives me zero enjoyment.
Most of my going out is for my kids, though that’s been the case the entire time I’ve been a parent. The occasional kid/family movie, back to school shopping (kids can’t try on shoes online, etc), outdoor activities, specialty shopping.
FWIW,
Our activities haven’t changed in the last few years.
We still go out to restaurants, go to the “mall”, buy some things over the internet but not a lot, we just went to the movies yesterday.
Our local traditional mall is all but abandoned. However, this was caused by a brand new mall being built in the same town and drawing all the stores over to it. Since the new mall dispenses with the indoors-it is just a big collection of strip malls-the rent is cheaper. We go there when we have a specific place to go. Comparison shopping isn’t a goal there.