5 Ways the Recession is Good for Your Kids

Some days, you might feel a bit down in the dumps over a lost job or a depleted 401K, but that doesn’t mean your kids may be. In fact, it’s beginning to look like the recession might actually be good for your kids—in the long run, at least. Whereas older generations learned their money lessons from the Great Depression, today’s younger generation is finally getting its chance to see the benefits of frugality and savings up close. Here’s a few more ways that the economic downturn might be benefiting your kids…

Complain, Complain, Complain

If you’ve ever sat on hold with the cable company for 40 minutes while you tried to get an issue resolved, you already understand the agony involved in most customer service interactions. But with more and more people cutting down on non-essential costs—like cable, gym memberships, and weekly blow-outs at the salon, to name a few—due to the recession, an increasing number of companies are ramping up their customer service efforts as a way to keep people coming back for more…

Stocking Up on Recession Collectibles

Is the recession really over? Most days it doesn’t feel like it. But someday, it really will be over and done, and you’ll regret not having stocked up on recession memorabilia, for which there is no better time than the present. Whether you’re looking for recession collectibles—like, say, an authentic Bear Stearns trader’s vest—or just some funny tchotchkes, downturn memorabilia is plentiful right now.

Peter Siegel, the CEO of Gotta Have It Collectibles on East 57th Street in New York doesn’t anticipate much of this recession memorabilia holding up in value, since it is “basically of the moment, as time goes on it will slowly wane.” He said Enron memorabilia used to be big, but the value fell as people lost interest, and the same thing happened with Bernie Madoff items after his arrest. But can you put a price on nostalgia? Or gag gifts? Here are 10 of our favorite pieces of recession memorabilia currently for sale. Get it while it’s hot, or at least before the downturn turns up…

How to Ask for a Raise in Recession

Your boss would like you to think that there are a hundred people in the unemployment line who’d be thrilled at the prospect of having your job. But your boss is not letting you in on the bigger picture: The truth is, it is always more expensive to hire and train a new employee than to keep the one you have happy and productive—and that doesn’t change just because we’re in a recession. Understanding this one point already puts you at an advantage when it comes to salary negotiation, but there many other tactics that can give you an edge in asking for a raise during a recession as well.

Timing is everything. Now more than ever, timing is important when it comes to bringing up a raise with your boss. After all, doing so on a day when a dozen of your colleagues have been laid off probably isn’t the brightest idea. Instead, schedule a meeting soon after you finish an important assignment or immediately after the company has gotten some positive news…

Ditch the Downturn, Go to… Zurich

From the picturesque buildings to the awe inspiring landscapes, there is a reason people like Zurich so much. Designer boutiques and culinary treasures lie behind every corner, while world-class ski resorts are just a short ride away. Meanwhile, with the unemployment rate in the U.S. rising to 9.8. percent last month, abandoning the States for a better life overseas may have never sounded like a more rational decision. Of course, picking up and leaving isn’t quite that simple.

Job prospects in many exotic locales are even bleaker than they are in the States, while the benefit from a low cost of living could easily be offset by high taxes or low wages in other cities across Europe…

Avoiding Bank Fees: The App Solution

When money is tight, small expenses add up fast. $3 fees for ATM withdrawals, $12 checking account service charges, and $30 penalties for bounced checks and overdrafts can put a real dent in anyone’s monthly budget. Unfortunately, this situation looks like it’s only getting worse now that recession-weary banks across the country have begun upping their service charges to levels never been seen before. According to a new survey by Bankrate.com, ATM fees are up 16 percent since 2004, bringing the average cost of a non-network ATM withdrawal (i.e. using an ATM at a bank other than your own) to $3.54.

By going digital and putting your iPhone to work, you can avoid irritating fees and organize your finances at the same time. After all, if you’re paying a hefty bill for that cell phone plan every month then you might as well use it. Here’s a run-down of sites and apps that may help reduce the fees you have to pay:…

Get Your Recession Scare On

Looking for some timely Halloween costume ideas? Let the recession be your inspiration. Whether you’re dressing up as Bernie Madoff, the repo man, or a laid off CEO—now’s the time to get crafty and start planning your recession-ready party wear. And if you’ve recently been laid off, then consider it a blessing. After all, you’ll have more time to grab your glue gun and start making your own costume from scratch.

After the jump, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite recession-inspired costume ideas…

Recession’s Celebrity Fashion Victims

The recession has impacted fashion on a number of levels, from the decline in popularity of “it” bags to the rise in thrift-store shopping. But there may be no singular shift in retail culture that elicits as much positive reaction as the death of celebrity clothing lines.

Celebrity-backed clothing lines were all the rage during the boom years, with everyone from movie stars (Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Lopez) to reality TV fixtures (Heidi Montag, Lauren Conrad) and even rappers (Eve, Snoop Dogg) signing on. By 2006, sales of “celebrity-licensed products” had risen to $3.5 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal. But things just haven’t been the same since the recession began, now that many customers are considering cost and quality over labels and luxury when it comes time to shop for clothes….

Business-Comfortable in Coach

First, your private jet — or dreams of private jet — got downsized. Then, your company’s corporate travel budget was slashed and you’ve suddenly found yourself sitting in coach. Look on the bright side: you’re hardly alone. The International Air Transport Association is predicting that airlines will see a 20 percent drop in first- and business-class passengers through 2009, due in large part to corporate travelers whose companies are reacting to the recession by refusing to foot the bill for tickets costing upwards of $10,000 a flight.

Many business travelers are now being forced to fly in coach—or “premium economy” if you’re lucky—where the seats don’t recline into beds and the cocktails aren’t complimentary. In essence, these business travelers are learning to fly all over again…

Saving on Spa Days

Whether you’ve lost your job or you’re struggling to keep the one you still have, there’s no denying it’s a stressful time out there. But even as women cut back on expensive gyms, luxury vacations, and “It” bags, one thing we’re not forsaking is the spa.

According to statistics from the International SPA Association, overall revenues at spas across the country were up last year, even as the total time spent per visit went down. How could that be? It turns out more stressed out women—and men, let’s be honest—are visiting day spas for treatments that take less time, usually 30 minutes or less, than in years past…