Economic uncertainty yields new thriftiness For sure, $4 gas, booming food prices and stagnant wages have many consumers scrutinizing how much they spend. “We are looking at stuff that reminds me of the 1970s,” said Patricia Edwards of investment manager Wentworth Hauser and Violich. Marian Salzman, chief marketing officer for public relations agency Porter Novelli, goes back farther. She cites a “Depression mentality” that’s making people “rethink their optimism in the economy.” And it could last as the national housing and credit markets struggle to regain their footing. ...