Recession Briefing 12.2: Downturn Breeds Vegetarians

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

More than half of Americans have cut back on meat, many becoming “recession-bred flexitarians,” says Gourmet magazine—people who use meat as a condiment not as a meal anchor. And even Martha Stewart broadcast a vegetarian Thanksgiving show last week. (AlterNet)

Climbing interest rates, lower spending limits and canceled accounts are prompting more holiday shoppers to leave their credit cards at home this year. (Wall Street Journal)

The wobbly economy is contributing to a rush by millions of online shoppers to a decidedly low-tech business: coupons. (USA Today)…

Recession Briefing 11.30: Is Anyone Not on Food Stamps?

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

With food stamp use at record highs and climbing every month, a program once scorned as a failed welfare scheme now helps feed one in eight Americans and one in four children. (New York Times)

“If the United States succumbs to a fiscal crisis, as an increasing number of economic experts fear it may,” writes Niall Ferguson, “then the entire balance of global economic power could shift.” (Newsweek)

Growing ranks of U.S. citizens are heading to street corners and home improvement store parking lots to find day-labor work usually done by illegal immigrants. (USA Today)…

Recessionwire Discount: Wine and Charcuterie Friday Night

Already hungry for Friday night? (We are.) This will really set your mouth watering: St. Francis Winery is having a wine-and-charcuterie pairing event in New York tomorrow night. It features the Sonoma winery’s Wild Oak wines and cured meats from Salumeria Biellese, which stocks top chefs, including meat-loving Mario Batali.

Plus, it’s educational, with a discussion of wine-making and meat-curing, in case you needed inspiration for that new career.

Recessionwire readers get $5 off the $35 ticket…

Get 80 Wines for $50 on Friday

Bottlenotes, our favorite online wine company, is offering Recessionwire readers a special deal for tomorrow night — $10 off its Around the World in 80 Sips event in New York.

There will be wine from five continents, plus artisinal cheese, charcuterie, pickles, chocolate, and cigars. All that and no tip required!…

Recession Briefing 11.05: Wearing Your Dirty Laundry

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

Some coin laundries are closing and many others are battling sales declines, asAmericans are cutting back even on their laundry costs. Some are using the home equipment of friends or relatives, while others are wearing items multiple times between washes. (Wall Street Journal)

Remember those 99-cent recession iPhone cases? Well, Case-Mate is holding a contest for artsy people who take the time to decorate them. Win a mo-ped! (Case-Mate)

Last week the Obama administration claimed the $787 stimulus program saved or created more than 640,000 jobs, but a review of those reports shows that some are simply wrong, while others contain apparently subjective estimates. (New York Times)…

Downturnaround Deals: SpaFinder, Saks, Esprit, David’s Cookies, Dell, AT&T

Every week, we post a handful of online deals hand-picked for Recessionwire readers by the nice people over at Savings.com. Feel free to pass them along to your friends. And if there’s something you’d like to see, let us know!

We could use a massage, a facial, a manicure, and everything else…take 10% off all orders at SpaFinder. (See more SpaFinder coupons.)…

How to Save Money at the Farmer’s Market

I’m often asked insider tips on how to save money while gourmet food shopping. I always recommend Trader Joe’s for pantry basics. An herb garden is a wonderful and inexpensive way to have fresh herbs on hand. A CSA box split between friends can be an affordable way to access fresh, locally grown produce. But for my money (and time), nothing beats a friendly-vendor, -music-filled visit to my local farmers market.

A lot of people think that shopping at a farmer’s market is more expensive than buying at a grocery store. Well, sometimes that might be true. But I’ve found that with just a little bit of thought and planning, you can find great deals on fresh, often organic goods—all while supporting your local community and having quite a bit of fun. Just follow my guidelines…

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…

Recession Briefing 9.17: Grocers Feeling the Pinch

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

Supermarket prices are plunging as the global downturn drives down the cost of staples such as wheat, corn and milk and grocers fight for the wallets of penny-pinching consumers. (Washington Post)

In the economic downturn, teenagers around the world have focused their spending cuts on clothes, games and food, according to a survey by a social networking site. (Reuters)

A Wells Fargo employee is now out of a job after spending the summer partying in a foreclosed mansion in Malibu. (Washington Post/EconomyWatch)…

Dowturnaround Deals: Saks, Diamonds, Perricone, Lord & Taylor, Ann Talor Loft, Restaurants.com

Every week, we post a handful of online deals hand-picked for Recessionwire readers by the nice people over at Savings.com. Feel free to pass them along to your friends. And if there’s something you’d like to see, let us know!

Free shipping on all orders at Saks Fifth Avenue
Expires: 9.20.09
Deal: http://www.savings.com/detail/289302-coupon.html
Merchant: http://www.savings.com/m-Saks-Fifth-Avenue-coupons.html

Exclusive 15 percent off orders of $100+ at Diamonds International…