I did some shopping yesterday for the first time in more than three months. And it felt strange.

With the exception of trips to the grocery store, Costco, and CVS, I’ve stayed away from retail establishments on purpose. For the couple of gifts I’ve needed, I’ve bought gift cards at the drug store. When I needed a new swimsuit for the beach, I shopped Zappos online, knowing I could return the sizes that didn’t fit without paying shipping If I didn’t set foot in a store luring me with tempting merchandise, I figured, I could control what I spent.

Call it retail avoidance. My husband and I have been trying to buy a house, so we are saving money. But I’m still employed–at least for now–my financial circumstances haven’t drastically changed, and I’m feeling more assured that the economy, while bad, is going to bump along for a while rather than unexpectedly implode. And I’m not the only one avoiding stores and malls all together: Retail consultants say many consumers are doing the same thing, to deter the same concern that I have about temptation.

Others are clipping coupons when they never have before, bulking up at discounters they didn’t know the name of in the past, and traded in long-time brands they’ve used since childhood for generics. This recession, many in the retail industry believe, will have a fundamental impact on the way we shop, spend, and save. What have you changed? What new habits do you have?

Original post created by: BusinessWeek – Management IQ