Cable TV Tops List of Moms' Must-Haves

This recession has prompted many to scrutinize their purchases and ask: "Is this something I merely want or something I really need?"

A recent survey by marketing firm Allen & Gerritsen (A&G) took a look at the distinctions between want and need that US mothers are making in this recession. The survey found that 45% of moms have eliminated nonessentials from their purchase list. Another 29% have found ways to cut back on their spending while still indulging in the occasional "want" item.

Generational differences emerged among the three cohorts examined by the study: Gen Y, Gen X, and Boomers. For instance, only 35% of Gen Y moms have eliminated purchases and services they deem unnecessary, compared with 45% of Gen X mothers and 54% of Boomer moms:

Key findings:

• Of the three groups, Gen Yers are most likely to have downgraded their lifestyle rather than eliminated nonessentials from it: 37% of Gen Yers have cut back, compared with 28% of Gen Xers and 24% of Boomers.
• Gen Y moms are the most likely to have returned to their pre-recession spending habits, and Boomer moms are the least likely: only 13% of Boomers have reverted to their pre-recession spending patterns, whereas 18% of Gen X moms and 20% of Gen Y moms have done so.

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