Today is a fine day for indulging in hard-luck stories for our hard-luck times—a.k.a., recession porn. These are tales of lost jobs, no prospects, and unemployment benefits that have run out. Or if there are jobs, they are jobs that have a 24/7 work week: no vacation, no weekends, no health insurance. And the people featured in these …
Sure, to get a sense of how the economy is faring, you could look at home sale prices, or unemployment stats, or what products are actually selling well at the time. Instead, a New York magazine story explores the symbiotic relationship between the attractiveness of restaurant waitstaff and the economic climate: Basically, if your …
The recession has turned the U.S. into a nation of savers. After years of spending like it was a job—and in some ways it was a job to buy stuff and keep the economy pumping along—we are finally saving some money. The national savings rate was around 7 percent recently. But now that we’re saving, interest rates in a typical bank …
In today’s economic climate, in which salespeople are more eager than ever to make a deal to move some merchandise, it’s foolish to not negotiate. Asking for a discount takes but a moment, and what’s the worst that could happen?
To hybrid or not to hybrid. As a car buyer, you look at the sticker prices and gas mileage stats for two similar cars. One (the hybrid) is more expensive but gets better mileage. The other is cheaper to buy, but you’ll have to fill ‘er up more often. So you’re left wondering: Is it worth it to pay more upfront for the hybrid?
Eric Hagen may be the nicest cab driver ever. Perhaps he’s the smartest too. A full-time employee at the American Red Cross in Burlington, Vermont, Hagen recently started a new business: Recession Ride Taxi. He printed some business cards, and put the words “Pay What You Want!” on the back of the SUV that doubles as his taxi.
The Cash for Clunkers program has worked all too well, burning quickly through the initial $1 billion allotted to consumers trading in old cars for more fuel-efficient models. Another $2 billion appears to have been approved for the program. But is this is a success for the economy? Or just for some car buyers who are basically getting a …
When a cheapskate drops cash on something, you know it’s worthwhile. After a brief hiatus in the series of posts that explore what seriously frugal folks will spend good money on—and when cheap is the way to go—here’s another entry, from Gary Foreman, editor of The Dollar Stretcher.com.
A Times story cites a report that one in three people admit to napping on a typical day. “Admit.” As if napping is a bad thing.
It’s the retail equivalent of jumping the shark: Stores such as Sears, Kmart, and Toys “R” Us are already trying to merry up their sales with Christmas displays, online Christmas specials, and “Christmas in July” sales.
The recession has lasted longer than any in history—certainly long enough for the unemployed millions to realize that their old jobs are gone for good, and that it may be time to make some dramatic career shifts.
People will pay for quality. Even during an economic crisis. Even when the people involved are self-described cheapskates.
