Recession Obsession: Forever 21

I wouldn’t mind being 21 again, to see what it’s like through wiser eyes and maybe correct some of my youthful screwups. But I don’t think I could take it for more than a few days. On the other hand, I could spend a week in Forever 21.

During the boom, when some fashionable friends started pushing the teen store as a source of cheap, trendy duds, I popped my head into New York’s Union Square location. It was loud and so packed with adolescents I didn’t even check out the merchandise. “I like to shop with grownups,” I said.

But when the recession rolled my clothing budget back to where it was when I was 16, I took another look at Forever 21—and discovered its discount charms. The shop is a great source of sexy summer dresses, shorts and accessories…

How to Buy Tech on the Cheap

For years, I covered tech. But it’s still not the same as knowing how to shop smartly for my next laptop (I can’t wean myself off of the pricier Macs) or figure out what to do about my ancient TV that pulled broadcasts out of the air via rabbit ears.

CNET has a nice package on shopping for tech on a budget that I’m finding useful and maybe you will, too. Their pieces don’t just list what to buy, but help you to understand the products and trends around them. The point is to shop smarter so that you spend your money wisely on products that will serve all your needs, and will last. Some highlights:

Laptops — Try a Netbook. If your computing needs are low, or even basic (web browsing, office doc work, and not too much need for heavy-duty graphics or HD video), Netbooks offer a great package for very little money. Mainly equipped with Intel Atom processors and running Windows XP, they’re not so great a multitasking, but they’ll do the work that most computers handled five years ago with ease…

Money Saving Tips from the Military

I belong to a military spouse club here in Camp Lejeune, and every so often they email you helpful news letters.. this week I got one about different ways to save money around the house. In these hard times we all know a little extra money goes a long way. Matt and I use most of these tips at home and some of them take a little extra effort but they are worth every penny.

Laundry- If you use an electric or gas dryer for your laundry, consider hanging them up outside or purchase an in home clothes hanger. ( Personally, Matt and I bought two, and they are 9.99 plus tax at Wal-Mart. They have paid for themselves. And, the great thing about them is, you can set your clothes outside to dry or if you have a rainy day they work just as good indoors. We cut our electric bill by almost 15 percent, thats almost 40 bucks extra a month. . yes, electricity is that expensive here.. )

Check your house for air leaks. Fixing them can cut cost on your heating/cooling bill BIG time! We live about 12 minutes away from the beach, and it is already 80 degrees average a day here. We had some missing insulation pieces from under our back door. We spent 2 dollars in supplies to fix it and now our AC doesn’t have to work as hard to cool down the house…

Buy Now or Pay More Later

The economy may be looking up as of late, but that’s not necessarily good news for everyone. Or for shoppers, at least. That’s because many of the “recession discounts” and super sales that have been going on at stores across the country will most likely become a thing of the past once stocks go up and consumers return to their usual ways.

So what goods and services should you start buying now before the bargains dry up? Forbes has a rundown:

Real Estate: The combination of falling interest rates, discounted foreclosure properties, government incentives, and bottoming home prices is making this a great time to buy. Not that this news is especially shocking to you, we’re assuming …

Recession Briefing 6.8

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

Budget weddings are in vogue this recession. The average cost of a wedding in the U.S. was $19,212 in the first quarter, down from $21,814 last year and $26,450 in 2005. (Wall Street Journal) Tips to recession-proof your wedding here.

Evidently the recession means that some semi-employed hipsters in their mid-20s can no longer rely on a monthly check from their parents. (New York Times)

“Motorists unable to afford payments on pricey cars and gas-guzzling sport utility vehicles in this recession are turning to a time-tested financing solution: matches.” (Los Angeles Times)

The recession’s grip loosened slightly this spring as seasonal hiring picked up and helped offset rising bankruptcies and foreclosures. But predictions on when the recession will end continue to vary. (Associated Press, Recessionwire)…

Cheap Date: Learning a Language

Sometimes the stock market increases 15% year over year. Sometimes we bump up interest rates because growth and inflation and moving too quickly. And sometimes ordinary people buy unaffordable houses with strange loan products because the home is guaranteed to double in value (in a short, short time). That sometime is not today. While the country’s fiscal vitality is showing signs of a perk up (except for a certain symbolic flagship auto manufacturer, that is), us ordinary Toms are having a tough go of it.

Rather than cry in our Mad Dog 20/20, we can make our own fun. We don’t have to drop ducats on theater tickets, surf-and-turf specials, trips to St. Bartholomew’s or season passes to Six Flags to have a great time on a date. You can get creative and do something much better. This time around, learn a language together…

Pampering to Plump the Economy

We’ve heard the nation’s leaders warn that we can’t really dig ourselves out of this economic ditch until consumer confidence returns—in other words, until we all feel safe enough to get out there and shop. But this plan of action feels rash. Excessive, reckless, down-payment-in-shoes-style consumption is what got us into this mess. And who needs another pair of strappy sandals anyway? But there is one kind of shopping that can help make a difference. It’s the most indulgent, frivolous, pamper-me style shopping—the kind you’ve probably become too monkish to consider. But it’s the best thing for the economy, and for your toes, especially if you’re wearing last year’s styles.

One of the best ways to stimulate the economy yourself is to spend money on personal services, according to Dean Baker, founder of the Center for Economic Policy Research. “Personal services” is finance code for manicures and pedicures, facials, babysitters, lawn care, and dog groomers. Apparently, this is a more efficient and effective form of consumerism, for yourself and the economy as a whole. Service industries generally have low overhead and spend more of their revenue on paying staff than a typical store. They are also often locally owned, keeping your dollars not just within the country’s borders, but in your own community…

Mad Libs for Saving Money

Our friends at Wisebread, the funnest frugal living site we know, posted this little contest earlier this week to find out what kinds of spending trade-offs the recession had inspired. (On Recessionwire, we call these dilemmas “Recession Concessions.”)

Wisebread asked readers to fill in the blanks: “I used to _____, but now I ____ to save money.” A handful of the 144 responses are below. Read them all here.

“I used to leave my electronics running on power supply, now I charge them in the office and run them on batteries to save money.”

“I used to spend money on gas getting to and from work. But now that my company has gone belly up and I’m unemployed, I’m staying at home and saving all that gas money!”

“I used to have no idea where my money went every month but now I write down *every* expense.”…

Recession Briefing 5.28

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

At a time when consumers are in a serious saving mode, why are sales of $100 yoga mats soaring? (Time)

Retailers and service technicians have long advised that it often makes sense to buy a new product rather than repair a broken one. But repairmen say many consumers are rejecting this suggestion and trying to spend as little as possible. (New York Times)

Nouriel Roubini, the famously glum economist who predicted the financial crisis, said that while the recession in the United States may well be over at the end of the year, another dip was still possible next year. (Reuters)

It’s So Bad, We’re Cutting Commas (Video)

The worst of company reductions might be over, said the New York Times the other day—but only because there’s nothing left to slash. Obviously the firms surveyed aren’t being creative enough. You can always eliminate punctuation, which takes up costly time, ink, and pixels. (We use lots of it, so we know how expensive it can get.)