The recession and economic slowdown have reduced buying power and consumers are tightening their belts in many ways, though spending on women’s clothes (and belts) fares slightly better than men’s.

衰退和经济放缓已经降低了美国民众的购买力，消费者们在许多方面勒紧了裤腰带——尽管女性服装和腰带上的支出要比男性稍多。

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The economic crisis has everyone tightening their belts.

经济危机让每个人都要节俭度日。

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With a broad consensus that a global economic recovery has begun, policymakers are debating how quickly to turn off stimulus spending and tighten their belts in order to control ballooning debt.

随着全球经济复苏已经开始成为广泛共识，政策制定者们在讨论如何迅速停止刺激性支出，并勒紧腰带以控制暴涨的债务。

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While with income taxes we pay regardless, if a consumption tax were implemented Americans could put the federal government on a diet at the same time that economic uncertainty is forcing them to tighten their own belts.

FORBES: A Flat Tax Would Be Fine, A Consumption Tax True Perfection