One unspoken but key assumption of those who foresee a return to economic normalcy -- which many seem to believe is already underway -- is that the behavioral patterns that emerged in the wake of the worst financial crisis this century would invariably be shed in favor of old (bad) habits.

But as has often been the case since things first began to unravel, what the so-called experts have said will (or won't) happen has proved to be little more than wishful thinking. In reality, more and more people continue to look at spending, borrowing, saving, and investing decisions in a much different light than they would have five years ago.

In "Deloitte: As Economy Rebounds, Energy Users Stick to Diet," for example, we find that greater energy efficiency has become a growing focus -- perhaps even a mantra -- for individuals and businesses alike.

A new era of energy frugality is taking hold in the United States - even as the economy slowly recovers - according to a survey from the Deloitte Center for Energy Solutions.

Businesses are forging the way by targeting average reductions in energy consumption of nearly 25 percent over a three- to four-year period. Consumers are also doubling down on efficiency - 83 percent report that they took extra steps to reduce their electric bill over the past year and 93 percent say they will use the same amount of electricity or less in the future.

"The recession is profoundly changing energy habits for both businesses and consumers," said Greg Aliff, one of the survey's authors and a vice chairman in the energy & resources sector at Deloitte LLP. "Using less may be the new normal, from boardroom tables to the kitchen tables."

Michael J. Panzner