PONO Giveaway Winner

Yes, we wanted to keep it for ourselves–but we didn’t! We picked a winner for last week’s giveaway, so if Zoe Benfield sees this post before she checks her email, she should contact us to get her lovely PONO necklace.

If you missed out, you can always try to win the Tiger Balm shoulder rub we’re giving away this week. More to come…

Who Will Lead Us Out of the Recession?

Once bitten twice shy, they say, but not for many of the Americans with a net worth of $250,000 or more. According to a new report from Ipsos Mendelsohn, more among this affluent population will buy stocks and mutual funds than any other spending activity, including on vacations, their homes or cars.

For their advertiser and media clients, Mendelsohn each year produces “The Mendelsohn Affluent Survey,” which looks at the population that holds about half of all U.S. income and accounts for about 20 percent of households (24 million) with $1 trillion in discretionary income, about half of which own two or more residences. The cut-off for the definition of “affluence” is a net worth of $250,000. This year, the question at the top of the researchers’ minds was, “Will the affluent be leading us out of the recession?”…

Prices? They’re So Pre-Recession

If you’ve ever eaten at a restaurant and thought your meal wasn’t worth the price, this latest recession trend might be right up your alley.

When massive discounts and coupon deals aren’t enough, a growing number of businesses are letting customers take the wheel and pay whatever prices they see fit.

Community car washes have been encouraging customers to donate what they can for years. In the recession, restaurants, yoga studios, and even taxi cabs have started asking patrons to pay whatever they think the service is worth. After all, the thinking goes, it’s better for businesses to have customers paying a little less than staying at home and paying nothing at all.

Restaurants and Cafes: Was that rib eye really worth $30? Was the latte worth $4? One World Everybody Eats in Salt Lake City is among several restaurants that think you should decide—and pay donation-style…

Screwed: 419 at Illinois Department of Corrections

A daily review of the employment fallout around the country and the world.

Today’s Total: 1,040

The Illinois Department of Corrections is scheduled to lay off 419 workers at the end of this month… Boeing lays off another 250 workers… USEC Inc. lays off 163 workers due to a scale back on its American Centrifuge Project… Laika lays off 65 workers… The Hinds County Board of Supervisors cuts 48 jobs to aid in a $2 million budget savings… Pella Corporation cuts 37 jobs at its Sioux City, Iowa plant…General Cable hands out 36 layoff notices …

Recession Briefing 9.21: Why Dealers Are Recession Gurus

What you need to know today to survive and thrive in the recession.

Why drug dealers are the perfect gurus in a recession. (Financial Times)

The recession has resulted in a “significant” fall in greenhouse gas emissions as manufacturing falls, according to a study by the International Energy Agency. (Telegraph)

The incomes of the young and middle-aged — especially men — have fallen off a cliff since 2000, leaving many age groups poorer than they were even in the 1970s, an analysis of new Census data found. (USA Today)…

September Stress-Fighting Giveaway

Summer’s over, job losses aren’t, and despite Ben Bernanke’s statements this week, your 401(k) isn’t bouncing back to 2006 levels anytime soon. You could spring for a massage, but it’s way cheaper to tweet your way to some free massage cream, and convince a friend to use it on you.

We’re offering tubes of Tiger Balm’s new Neck & Shoulder Rub to two Recessionwire readers. It’s non-greasy, helps ease stiff or sore muscles, and smells like–well, like Tiger Balm.

Enter by following Recessionwire on Twitter. If you’re already a follower, tweet about an RW story of your choice…

6 Steps to a Financially Successful Relationship

Money is a reliable source of tension in relationships, in both married couples and those not yet in wedded bliss. Karin Mizgala wrote an article in the Canadian Financial Post with suggestions about how couples can ward off money problems. She says:

While talking about money can be often be more difficult and emotionally charged than talking about sex, religion or politics, a simple conversation about money can save you a lot of tension and resentments throughout married life.

Below, we’ve expanded on Karin’s tips and come up with six steps to ensuring a financially successful union. Are you financially compatible?

1. Each person makes a list of their expenses. This includes regular monthly costs, like rent, groceries and the gym; major purchases you hope to make, say, a new car or flat screen TV; occasional expenses like clothing, restaurants and iced lattes; and a bit of padding for expenses you can’t account for.

Screwed: 900 in California

A daily review of the employment fallout around the country and the world.

Today’s Total: 980

Some Good News: The layoff of 3,000 Philadelphia city workers has been avoided.

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is eliminating academic and substance abuse programs for inmates, resulting in a potential 900 employee layoff… DC School Board is planning to layoff an as yet unknown number of teachers… Mattel and Fisher Price will cutting 80 positions… More layoffs at NBC News as staffers are asked to take voluntary buyout.

Recession Briefing 9.18: The Mood of Skylines

What you need to know today to survive and thrive in the recession.

It is said that the skyline of a great city tells you a lot about its mood. In times of wealth, it soars higher and higher, buildings compete to be the biggest and the best. In bad times, the skyline stays cautiously still. (BBC)

The nation is on a grimmer track, and the fall television season echoes that mood shift. But while almost all of these new shows reflect the economy, they do so indirectly. (New York Times)

“Trying to challenge Ben Bernanke’s job performance is like trying to convince your average ancient Greek that Zeus was a bumbling weakling,” writes George Selgin. (Christian Science Monitor)

Last Day for Necklace Giveaway

New York’s Fashion Week extravaganza is coming to a close, but there’s still a chance to win this gorgeous necklace from PONO by Joan Goodman.…