Penny-pinching
consumers are still putting the hurt on cable: About one in five
Americans canceled or scaled back their cable TV service in the last six
months to save money, according to a new poll from research firm Harris
Interactive.
About 22% of respondents said they downgraded or
eliminated their cable TV service, and another 21% considered it over
that time, Harris found. The online poll of 3,084 U.S. adults age 18 and
older was conducted Oct. 11-18.
The percentage of U.S. consumers
who say they've cut back or eliminated cable hasn't changed in the last
year, according to Harris. In February 2010, 22% of respondents affirmed
cable cutbacks, while 21% did in October 2009.
On the most recent
survey, 28% of consumers 34 to 45 (Gen Xers) said they canceled or cut
cable, followed by the 46-64 baby boomers (23%) and 18-33 Echo Boomers
(22%). Of the 65-plus "matures" cohort, just 13% said they dropped or
cut back cable TV.
Meanwhile, 17% of respondents said they
canceled their landline phone service and are only using their cell
phone, while another 17% have changed or canceled cell phone service.
The
most popular money-saving measures on the Harris poll: 62% of U.S.
consumers have been purchasing more generic brands in the last six
months, and about 45% are brown-bagging lunch instead of purchasing it.
