By Jasmin Aline Persch, contributor
Introduction
As U.S. consumers trade down on necessities and trim back on discretionary items, they're still permitting themselves to indulge in some of life's little (and large) luxuries. \"You're depriving yourself of small things, so you really want the big ones to count,” said Suzanne Shu, a consumer-behavior expert at the University of California, Los Angeles.
What tends to happen during tough economic times: Known by economists as the \"superstar effect,\" shoppers converge on the same mainstream products, entertainment — or even pets. When money's tight, popular discretionary items seem to guarantee the most enjoyment for your dollar. “When I decide what movie to go to, I'm less likely to take a risk on some crazy movie that doesn't have a big star,\" Shu said. \"I know that everybody is raving about ‘The Dark Knight,’ so I'll put my money on that.”
Click the \"Next\" button above to check out seven \"recession-proof\" luxuries.";
RecessionProofProducts[i++] = new Array("","'The Dark Knight'","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Slideshows/_production/ss-080613-movies/ss-080604-movies-darkknight2-001.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "Warner Bros.", "273", "410", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
RecessionProofProducts[i-1].body = "
'The Dark Knight'
Films tend to bode well during recessions, partly because movie tickets are affordable and even consumers with limited funds want to have some fun. But \"The Dark Knight\" appears to have conquered the economic slowdown — recently tearing past the $500 million mark, becoming the only movie to do so besides \"Titanic.\" The Batman sequel, released in theaters on July 18, already had the biggest opening weekend ever in Hollywood history. Warner Bros.'s \"The Dark Knight\" even beat out Columbia Pictures' \"Spider-Man 3,\" released May 2007, when the economy was healthier.";
RecessionProofProducts[i++] = new Array("","Miley Cyrus","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/ap/72408b82-1374-418f-8cda-4fe57200bb6a.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "", "AP", "273", "182", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
RecessionProofProducts[i-1].body = "
Miley Cyrus
During recessions, consumers will support superstars rather than experiment with unknowns. Miley Cyrus — pop singer and star of the popular Disney show \"Hannah Montana\" — has continued to add fans during the nation's economic downturn. Her film \"Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert\" broke the record for the biggest debut over Super Bowl weekend in early February. Here, Cyrus is shown in a scene from the 3-D movie chronicling her recent tour.";
RecessionProofProducts[i++] = new Array("","iPhone 3G","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/ap/a5e8bea6-8ad8-4278-8859-53d6775d3b64.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Steven Senne", "AP", "273", "393", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
RecessionProofProducts[i-1].body = "
iPhone 3G
Despite plenty of cell phone options that are more pocketbook-friendly, Apple's latest-generation iPhone 3G was an instant hit when it was released July 11, selling 1 million units in its first three days. The 8-gigabyte model retails for $199, while the 16-gigabyte model sells for $299. The strong sales have come despite some early glitches and a price increase for the monthly plan to a minimum $69.99 from $59.99 for the original iPhone."; RecessionProofProducts[i++] = new Array("","Nintendo DS ","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo/_new/app-080724-nintendo-ds-730a.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Dirk Lammers", "AP", "273", "338", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); RecessionProofProducts[i-1].body = "
Nintendo DS
So far, the video game industry appears unscathed by the gloomy economy. In July, the most recent month for which figures are available, U.S. sales of video game hardware and software soared 28 percent over year-earlier levels to $1.19 billion. Nintendo easily outsold all rivals with its portable Gameboy DS, which sold 608,000 units, and set-top Wii console, which sold 555,000.";
RecessionProofProducts[i++] = new Array("","Toyota Prius ","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/080420/080420-prius-hmed-5p.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Toyota", "Wieck", "273", "411", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
RecessionProofProducts[i-1].body = "
Toyota Prius
The U.S. auto industry is far from \"recession proof,\" as sales are plunging due to high fuel costs and the economic pinch. But green models led by the electric-gas hybrid Toyota Prius continue to rack up gains. Last year, U.S. registrations for the Prius car grew 38 percent to a record high of 350,289. This year, hybrid sales are expected to continue to soar, despite the cheaper alternatives on the market. The 2008 Prius, with a base price of $23,535, costs about $3,500 more than its conventional doppelganger, the Toyota Matrix, which gets about 31 miles per gallon on the highway. The Prius gets about 45 mpg on the highway.";
RecessionProofProducts[i++] = new Array("","'Grand Theft Auto IV'","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/080427/080427-gtaiv-vlg-10a.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Reed Saxon", "AP", "273", "229", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
RecessionProofProducts[i-1].body = "
'Grand Theft Auto IV'
\"Grand Theft Auto IV,\" part of a popular video game series, quickly emerged as America's top-selling title of the year, with more than $500 million in first-week sales after its April 29 launch. Gamers lined up at midnight to snag copies of the title when it hit the market.";
RecessionProofProducts[i++] = new Array("","Labrador retriever","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo/_new/080808-black-lab-1p.vmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "", "AP file", "275", "198", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
RecessionProofProducts[i-1].body = "
Labrador retriever
Can a pet be \"recession-proof\"? The Labrador retriever has retained the title of top dog for 17 years, during which time the United States has weathered at least two full-blown recessions. The Lab first fetched the No. 1 spot during the early 1990s recession, an indicator that people may continue to buy the pooch during tough economic times. From 1990 to 2007, Lab registrations have gone up 15.3 percent.";
// END editorial data