Recessions are a time for budgeting, scrimping and saving.

Some businesses struggle to remain in consumers’ budgets and keep their heads above the water. Many will not survive.

Other businesses, however, are tailor-made to survive a recession.

Secondhand and discount stores thrive in tight economic times while their luxury and high-end counterparts suffer.

Save-A-Lot, located at 1400 Lincoln Ave. in Charleston, is one store not hurting from the recession.

“I can’t see a whole lot of change,” said Jim Buening, the store manager of Save-A-Lot, about the steady business they have seen in recent months.

Consumers need to buy groceries regardless of the economic environment, and marketing towards this need is effective.

“Customers are buying cheaper products,” Buening said.

Instead of steaks and other expensive cuts of meat, he said that people are buying more ground beef and bologna.

In order for this business to thrive, it is essential that they take this into consideration.

“We’re promoting items that appeal to customers now,” he said.

This strategy benefits both shoppers and businesses.

Grocery shopping on a budget can be difficult, especially for an entire family.

“Shoppers in every income bracket are facing budgetary pressures, and they are making different choices when it comes to the foods they purchase,” said Leslie G. Sarasin, president of the Food Marketing Institute, in a press release. “Retailers are challenged with a great opportunity to win over shoppers with money-saving ideas that appeal to their customers.”

The Food Marketing Institute conducts programs and research on a variety of topics related to the food industry on behalf of retail and wholesale food marketers.

Promoting affordable options helps bring business into stores, and it makes bargain hunting easier on parents who might be struggling to raise their families in a tough economy.

“Shoppers are focused on finding the best prices for the food they purchase,” Sarasin said.

“Some things have changed here lately,” Buening said. “We’re seeing some faces we might not see in other times.”

Even though new faces are showing up, the basic business format of Sav-A-Lot has not changed.

“We’re pretty well following the same format,” Buening, who has been with the store for three years, said. “It’s worked for us pretty well in the past.”

Sarah can be reached at 581-7943 or at seruholl2@eiu.edu.