Americans have put themselves on a budget. In the first quarter of 2009, the personal savings rate hit to 5.2 percent. And in a recent National Foundation for Credit Counseling survey, 57 percent of Americans said they're spending less than a year ago.
That moderation could outlast the recession, a good thing to most economists and consumer experts.
"The consumer has fundamentally changed," says Margot Bogue, associate director of brand planning for the advertising firm Cramer-Krasselt.
To take advantage of that shift and thrive in a post-recession economy, consider making these 10 changes...
