Americans reclassifying luxury, necessity in recession, survey finds

A few years back, the list of "gotta-haves" for many Americans included a car, TV, microwave oven, home air-conditioning and dishwasher.

Now, not so much.

A Pew Research Center survey out Thursday found that the recession mind-set has shifted items that three years ago were seen as necessities to the luxury category.

Going from thriving to struggling leads many to redefine it.

That altered opinion applies to such kitchen conveniences as the microwave. In a 2006 Pew survey of luxuries and necessities, 68 percent believed it was a necessity. Now 47 percent think so. Just over half of those surveyed (52 percent) say a TV is a necessity today, down from 64 percent in 2006.

The landline and cell phone survey of 1,003 Americans conducted April 2-8 (margin of error plus or minus 3.6 percentage points) found appliances such as a dishwasher or clothes dryer are now considered more discretionary. Now just 21 percent (down from 35 percent) say a dishwasher is a necessity, and 66 percent (down from 83 percent) say the same for a dryer.

Pew researchers also asked about changed behaviors in the wake of the downturn and how much their lives have been affected, finding that:

 27 percent report they or someone in their household had lost a job or been laid off in the past year.

 80 percent have taken steps to economize.

 20 percent say they're doing more work in and around their homes.

"Regardless of age, gender, education and other social or economic characteristics, the change in attitudes toward these consumer goods has occurred quickly and broadly throughout the population," the report said.

It also found technology is more indispensable, with cell phones and high-speed Internet either still as necessary as three years ago or gaining ground. Just under half (49 percent) of those surveyed this month said cell phones are a necessity — the same percentage as in 2006. But high-speed Internet picked up 2 percentage points, increasing to 31 percent.

One factor may be that the lines between work and home are blurring, said Stephen Sweet, an associate sociology professor at Ithaca College in Ithaca, N.Y. He said many employees are expected to be reachable anytime, work at home when necessary and sometimes bring kids to the office.

"That explains some of the reasons we're viewing new technology in certain ways," he said.