To a degree, belt-tightening strategies are a reflection of lifestyles in each region, and the potential for where the biggest saving can be made. It also reflects priorities - where consumers will look first to cut back, and also where they are not prepared to make concessions. In the US, the enormous amount of take-out food we consume, the billions we spend on out-of-home entertainment and as the world's largest user of energy, these three areas may be the big budget numbers that can be reduced without too much lifestyle compromise. Based on the country's negative national savings rate, however, any money saved by US consumers is probably simply spent in other areas.
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