21.   Consumers have begun to feel the pinch already.

22.   Consumer spending is beginning to improve, he said, pointing out that many of the minuses in consumption indicators have disappeared.

23.   Consumers are beginning to cross the state line to buy gas.

24.   Consumers are beginning to take notice now that furnaces are turned on and heating bills soon will land in their mailboxes.

25.   Consumers began to feel the benefits of lower prices as winter began and warmer weather cut heating bills even further.

26.   Consumers should begin to see lower bacon prices by November.

27.   Demand for American agricultural products dried up in Asia while, in Europe, consumers began to object to genetically-modified American legumes and grains.

28.   Even locally, where cable is still growing, consumers have begun to gripe, saying upgrades are taking too long and service still falls short.

29.   Even though Hewlett-Packard has long had a system in place, Altobell said, consumers began asking about recycling only recently.

30.   For instance, employees at Hallmark Cards Inc. started noticing that consumers had begun turning regular greeting cards into ones for pets.