Are You Better Off Now Than You Were 100 Days Ago?

In the first two months of Barack Obama’s presidency, the economy shrank 6.1 percent, according to a government report out today.

The drop was greater than the 4.7 percent estimated by Briefing.com but less than the 6.3 percent fall in the fourth quarter of last year.

In that same period, unemployment has also hit record levels, with the national rate now at 9 percent according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and above 10 percent in 109 cities, according to the government report.

But there have also been some bright spots…

More Frugal Fitness—Hit the Gym for Free

Our friends at the 405 Club point out that New York Underground Fitness, on West 57th Street, is offering free access to people who can prove they’ve been laid off.

“There’s more to this business than just counting how many memberships you can sell,” said owner Eric Slayton.

According to a Bloomberg story out last week, people are taking advantage of down time by going to the gym…

At the End of Your Robe: Get Thrifty With It

When the going gets tough, the tough go thrifting. Growing up in the Midwest, I wanted a designer look but couldn’t afford the designer prices. So I did the next best thing—found one-of-a-kind items at thrift stores and pieced together my looks with little more than the change in my pocket. Times are tough again for many of us and getting more for your money is the new cool way to shop. Thrift store shopping takes a little more time and a lot more digging,but you can find classic, high-quality pieces as well as more outré ones. Armed with this strategy guide—a thifter’s dozen of tips—I guarantee you can score a new spring wardrobe for the price of last year’s little black dress.

1. Choose wisely
Try to avoid thrift stores in neighborhoods filled with college kids and hipsters—they will most likely be picked over, and the quality of the inventory may not be the best. Wealthy communities with older residents usually have the top shops and stores…

Downturn Deals: Price Cuts on Haircuts

Clothes go on sale, cars go on sale, even food goes on sale. But when was the last time your hairstylist offered you a discount?

Well, maybe now. As a way to serve their communities (and, of course, bring in business) salons around the country are offering recession specials. In Los Angeles, some are offering donation-only services, or complimentary bang trims for current customers. In New York, a few deals are specifically targeted at people who have lost their jobs. Here are a few high-end spots trimming prices:

At the End of Your Robe: Shoes on a Shoestring

The last time we looked, a new pair of Manolos cost about $650 and Tod’s loafers ran at least $400. Maybe last year we could afford to splurge on the newest and nicest, but for many of us, this season the shoe budget is now the rent payment. So how to make do with the shoes you have or at least find new styles that won’t put you in the red? Check out these seven ways to get the most out of your kicks this spring—without getting kicked out of your apartment.

Recession Concessions: Keeping My Coffee

Laura Yona, 36
Glen Rock, N.J.

Keeping: Starbucks ($5 per cup)
I used to commute into NYC before I got laid off from my management position at Tutor.com. The one real just-for-me splurge that I’ve kept since being laid off is Starbucks in the morning. I have cut back to 3-4 times a week instead of every day, but it’s still $15-20 a week on coffee. For me, though, a lot of it is about actually going to my local Starbucks. The people there know me and are super nice to me and chat with me about what I’m reading. They are really the only people I get to talk to these days that I’m not related to or talking to about my kids. I always walk out of there with a smile on my face—totally worth the $5 or so I’ve paid for the coffee. (I also justify a little because I get four shots, so I’m really paying $5 for four coffees…they’re just all served in the same cup, right?)

Ditching: Salads, manicures, sitters, yarn and more
After being informed that my position was one of 13 being eliminated at the end of October, the second phone call I made was to cancel my cleaning service (the first was to my husband)…

What are you keeping and giving up in the recession? Email us, or discuss it in the comments section.

At the End of Your Robe: Nine Savvy Spending Tips for Spring

Stylist Julie Greene offers expert advice on looking fierce in a financial crisis.

If you are like me (and lots of other people) your spring clothing budget isn’t what it used to be. I’ve had to accept the fact what I already own will, for the most part, have to get me through summer. Any dollars I do drop, I want to go as far as possible. And, I want to be sure every penny is well spent—on clothes I’ll love and wear, not items that I’ll find in a year with the tags still on. That means shopping thoughtfully and strategically, using these nine tips for getting the most out of spring spending.

Jeffrey’s Recession Dinner Makes Ends Meat

During the Depression, Jeffrey Ruhalter’s grandfather would send 20 pounds of ground beef each day to a tent city in New York, to help feed the hungry. “They would mix it with sawdust to feed more people,” Ruhalter said.

Today’s situation has affected many New Yorkers, though it isn’t quite as dire, as evidenced by the Recession Dinner the fourth-generation butcher sponsored at the Hotel on Rivington last night. On the menu were homemade ravioli, New York strip steak, and cupcakes from Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery.

But that doesn’t make Ruhalter’s gesture any less generous. He fed 150 people, including laid-off retailers, publicists, journalists, painters and lawyers, charging just $10 for the dinner…

Recession Dispatch from…Baltimore

BALTIMORE—Richard Friedman wrote in the New York Times a few weeks ago that while it may take a few weeks for anti-depressants to start working, the “side effects, like sexual dysfunction, are often immediate.” Whether or not this is a metaphor for the stimulus package, it is a fact that many Baltimoreans, mostly suburban, mostly with their children in private schools, are suffering. They started swallowing Cymbalta, Effexor, and Celexa somewhere around Christmas and, two months into their visits to the Ruxton Pharmacy, the situation, both nationally and in Baltimore, couldn’t be worse.

At the End of Your Robe: Spring’s Five Best Buys

Stylist Julie Greene offers expert advice on looking fierce in a financial crisis.

Spring has finally sprung, and the urge to shop for new clothes is almost as strong as the need to find a way to pay for them. Luckily, you don’t have to spend a lot to look great this season. The biggest looks combine versatility with all-American style, and you only need five must-haves to update your wardrobe. Armed with these lists of essentials for him and her (and where to get them), you can even sneak your look into fall without spending a fortune.

Men
1. Cool Cardigan
Grandpa’s cardigan isn’t what it used to be; find one that flatters your shape and wear it all year round—the layering trend isn’t going anywhere. H&M, Bannana Republic and The Gap all have great options.