The Economy changes spending habits

As a continuation of the Trend post below I just finished reading an article in the Chicago Tribune from last month ( http://tiny.cc/pXFdY ). It picks up with adding unmanageable debt as an effect of the current economy, which with the other effects lead to:

• Spending more practically
• Buying smaller homes (if you can sell your larger one)
• Eat out less
• Save for large purchases rather than use credit

The author correctly reasons that this is a moral shift that is making people reconsider how their lives really change when they are spending more.

Combined a new grounded consumer begins to emerge that is/will:

• limit "stuff" they own
• live more within their means
• think that life is not defined by how much credit they have or what they buy
• reconsider what was once considered a necessity to be more of a luxury now.

While thinking about the effects of Trends I find myself thinking about what will happen next as an effect or cause?