I would imagine that it would have positive creative effect on what one does. I've always been in the habit of searching for items on sale or clearance, and I have a stock pile of materials so that I never am caught without something to do.

I used to teach cloth dollmaking and learned how to shop year-round for bargains so as to keep my supply expenses to a minimum. But since I've stopped teaching, I've reduced my spending by 90%, and so am not affected by the recession.

One thing I've noticed is that the stores are emptier than they used to be. I was surprised recently when I went to an A. C. Moore and could walk around without hardly seeing another customer. The Michaels in my area used to be packed regardless of the day of the week or time of day/night, but now I see them packed only on weekends or near holidays.