Recession Briefing 12.3: Families Going Rural

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

The recession is inspiring more young families and singles to head back to the country. Sometimes dubbed “ruralpolitans,” these city and town dwellers are looking at land as their new safe investment. (Wall Street Journal)

Some companies are banding together to save money by having group holiday parties. (New York Times)

Some 60 million adult Americans live without a bank account or use pawn shops and other non-bank operations to handle their finances, according to an FDIC report that called for an expansion of basic services to the “underbanked”. (Financial Times)

Downturnaround Deals: Gap, Aeropostale, Bebe, Wine.com, Children’s Place, Kodak

Every week, we post online coupons for food, clothes, books, gadgets and more, hand-picked for Recessionwire readers by the nice people over at Savings.com. This week, check out their Black Friday deals, too.

Get 50% off the entire site at Aeropostale. (See more Aeropostale coupons.)…

Curbing Fido’s Financial Strain

Having a pet is a fine balance: We love our pooches, but we know that pet hair isn’t a fashion accessory. They burrow in our purses, poke out of our car windows, and try to lick our face masks away. We’ve compiled the best insider tips to help you scratch away at your pet’s expenses—you and Junior won’t remember how you coexisted without us!

Look For Veterinary Colleges. Money isn’t a reason not to bring your pet in for regular checkups, but vet visits are expensive. Do a quick Google search or refer to this list to see if there are any veterinary colleges in your area. If so, they are probably looking for new patients and likely offered reduced rates. Don’t worry about putting Mr. Fuzzy in the hands of students—they are supervised and accredited for treating animals!…

Frugal Obsession: Listia

You know you have it. Stuff you don’t want and don’t use, but that seems too valuable to throw or give away. The nearly-full bottle of hair product that’s taking up space in the bathroom. That promotional glass paperweight. The television cables you bought and forgot to return after you realized they didn’t work with your set.

Okay, you might not have those exact things–but I did. And frankly, they were causing me the tiniest bit of angst until TechCrunch wrote about Listia, a new website that’s a cross between eBay and Freecycle…

10 Sneaky Tips for Flying Fee-Free in Europe

If Dante were writing today, he would have designed the tenth circle of hell after the Pisa Airport. While it’s often advertised as the “Florence” Airport by some European budget airlines, it’s actually about 50 miles away, waiting to punish you with outlandish excess baggage fees.

Europe has a number of airlines that offer if not luxurious travel, at least insanely cheap fares. Easyjet, Ryanair, and the lesser known copycats offer flights for as little as a few dollars. They don’t tell you that you’ll have to wake up at 3:00 am to catch a bus to some remote European town and wait in line for two hours before boarding something that resembles an aircraft. And they aren’t big on reminding you about the countless extra fees they can charge, especially for luggage.

I’ve learned the rules of frugal flying the hard way. I’ve been stranded on buses in Slovakia and had rough landings through flocks of birds in Lithuania. But if you’re crafty, prepared, and desperate for a European vacation, the experience can feel like a victory, especially after flying round-trip on $35…

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!…

Downturnaround Deals: Bloomingdale’s, Martin and Osa, Barnes and Noble, Folica, Limited, Zales

Some of us are starting to spend again (a little). Every week, we post online coupons for food, clothes, books, gadgets and more, hand-picked for Recessionwire readers by the nice people over at Savings.com.

Get 20% off during the Friends & Family Sale @ Bloomingdale’s.
See more Bloomingdale’s coupons.

Take an Extra 20% off sale items at clothing company Martin and Osa.
See more Martin and Osa coupons.…

Quiz: Which Recession Spender Are You?

Did the recession bring out your inner coupon-clipper? Do you hate not be able to shop for fun? Or are you one of the happy few who hasn’t taken a hit to the bank account and continues to blithely spend? (Hm. Those people are probably not reading this blog.)

According to market research firm Decitica, there are four different kinds of consumer personalities coming out of the downturn. (Incidentally, company principal Val Srinivas says he was inspired by Recessionwire. Schweet.) Which type are you? Answer this multiple-choice question to find out:

In terms of spending, what has been your reaction to the downturn? …

The New Rules for the Recession Holidays

Tight times have brought out our ingenuity in spending and this second holiday season of the downturn is no different. We rounded up a few of our favorite new rules for surviving the holidays:

* Regift. It’s both budget-friendly and good for the environment: Recycle those unwanted yet still brand-new socks, wine bags, candy dishes, etc. “Regifting” – the act of giving someone a gift that you had received – is growing fashionable. A poll by Consumer Reports found that 36% of U.S. adults said they would recycle a gift this year, compared with 31% last year and 24% in 2007.

* Group-give. First, pare your list to its essentials, then find a buddy or two to go in on gifts for those on your list. This tip comes from Jack Chary, who also recommends starting a Christmas savings account in the future. Good thinking…

Save Money with the 30-Minute Rule

The 30-Minute Rule has nothing to do with eating food off the floor.

It’s a way to keep your spending in check by curbing impulse shopping — especially important as some of us are starting to feel flush again.

Maybe you’ve just found a job after months of unemployment. Maybe you just feel like the economy is starting to wobble towards a recovery. It’s hard not to unleash all that pent-up desire to buy. But over-spending is not a habit we want to return to as a society.

The 30-Minute Rule is ridiculously simple….