Each day the global crisis continues to rack up an ever increasing number of financial disasters, or potential disasters, most falling into the category of seemingly ‘uncontrollable’ events.
And even at the micro, or local, level the on-going torrent of bad news negatively impacts our daily lives and, for many people, there are not many obvious options to counteract its corrosive effect.
Of course, holding on to your job is the most obvious candidate; yet bar telling the boss where to go there are in fact not a lot of ways an individual can influence this most basic issue, if the economic winds continue their damaging way.
So, given the income side of the ‘family budget’ equation is pretty inflexible at the moment a closer eye on expenditure would seem called for.
It is perhaps not surprising how many new TV shows on this topic are springing up and the emergence and increasing popularity of the German budget retailer ALDI underlines this new emphasis on value buying, viz. if you only have to pack your own shopping bags and reduce the choices of brand you can earn substantial savings at the checkout counter – many are saying: I think I will!
The internet is also providing a number of new ways families can reduce their spending, the most obvious being the ability to research before finally making a purchase, i.e. making sure what you buy is definitely the best product at the most competitive price. A simple search by brand name and model usually reveals a number of retailers, both bricks and clicks and mortar, manufacturer’s specifications and choice of accredited retailers.
The ability to buy near new products on eBay www.ebay.com.au who, incidentally, are now claiming their purchasers pay an average of 25 per cent less, and other locally based online auction houses such as Grays Online www.graysonline.com.au are further options for the cash strapped and/or more astute buyer.
I believe the emergence of a completely new category of website holds the seeds to a whole new shopping experience in these troubled financial times and although there are already some well established ‘comparison’ websites dedicated to the insurance, travel and accommodation industries at a national level, portals dedicated to finding the best shopping alternatives in the local space are still to appear.
Imagine finding the best priced pizza in real time. You could either order and pay for your Supreme double topping online or simply phone and quote a quick reference number – it could be that easy.
History shows that it is in times of adversity, such as wars and recessions, many of the best ideas and inventions have emerged. Consequently it should not be a surprise if the internet, the dominant media of the 21st century, will deliver WIN/WIN solutions we have not even dreamed about yet. | 
