Recession Briefing: Why Yellow Lights Are Shorter

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

Some cash-strapped cities have been shortening yellow lights in order to nab more drivers with tickets — and raise revenue. (AlterNet)

A little-noticed effect of the recession is the incredible shrinking work shift. Millions of workers are taking multiple part-time or freelance jobs, jumping back and forth repeatedly between work, other pursuits and more work. These weird schedules are creating new challenges. (Wall Street Journal)

In an era of populist outrage and nearly double-digit unemployment, the average Wall Street bonus jumped 25% in 2009 to $123,850 as financial firms rebounded from the recession with help from U.S. taxpayers’ money. (USA Today)…

Recession Briefing: Outlook Bleak for Long-Term Unemployed

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

Economists fear that the nascent recovery will leave more people behind than in past recessions, failing to create jobs in sufficient numbers to absorb the record-setting ranks of the long-term unemployed. (New York Times)

Bernard Madoff’s top lieutenant may get “extraordinary” leniency from prosecutors for his help in unraveling the largest Ponzi scheme on record. In a letter released on Friday, federal prosecutors in New York praised the efforts of Madoff associate Frank DiPascali in providing “substantial assistance to the government in its investigation and prosecution of others.” (Reuters)

Both domestic mobility and immigration were sharply down in 2007 to 2009 from the levels recorded during most of the decade. (The American)…

How to Make Quick Cash (Including Some Ways That Aren’t Embarassing)

So you’ve lost your job — or maybe you’re running out of unemployment. In any case, you need to make some fast cash. The people over at Coupon Sherpa put together a list of resources to do just that–and while some of them we’d do in a second, others would be a real hit to the pride and reputation.

Sure, you’ve got to do what it takes to pay the bills. And yes, there are wonderful people who deliver phone books and clean houses. We know some. But guess what? They’d rather have better jobs, too. Here’s a handy guide to what you can do without feeling embarrassed, and what you’ll want to wear a good disguise for.

Say It Loud and Proud

Monetizing your web site or blog
Selling your unwanted stuff
Flipping web sites

Fine…As Long As Nobody Finds Out

Becoming a human guinea pig
Giving blood…

Recession Briefing: Relationship Rockiness

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

Money doesn’t buy love and it doesn’t buy happiness, as we should all know by now. But money woes can certainly cause problems for couples, especially during the economic downturn. The bottom line: It’s complicated. (New York Times/City Room)

The Great Recession may be over, but this era of high joblessness is probably just beginning. Ultimately, it is likely to warp our politics, our culture, and the character of our society for years to come. (The Atlantic)

Finding a job got much tougher last year, as the number of available openings fell by nearly one quarter. At the same time, the unemployed population soared by more than one-third, leaving more laid-off workers competing for fewer jobs. (Associated Press)…

Recession Briefing: Americans Have Money for Gifts, But Not Food

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

Nearly one in five Americans said they lacked the money to buy the food they needed at some point in the last year, according to a survey co-sponsored by the Gallup organization and released Tuesday by an anti-hunger group. (New York Times)

Consumers spent an average of $811 on holiday gifts, significantly more than the $699 they initially planned to spend, according to a survey. About 4 in 5 consumers bought gifts, and many shoppers bought for themselves, the poll found. (Los Angeles Times)

“How do I know when the next recession will occur? All I have to do is ask my wife,” writes Gene Marks. “That’s because women know this answer. Not men.” (Bloomberg BusinessWeek)

How Credit Card Companies Are Making Nice

And you thought credit card companies held all the…well, cards.

Now they’re getting battered by the recession, as some consumers get smart about credit, and others get so broke they can’t pay at all. Then there are the new rules coming down from Washington.

So credit card companies are changing the way they play (a little). Lenders are actually getting friendlier…

Recession Briefing: African-American Unemployment Rate Tops 17 Percent

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

Unemployment for African Americans is projected to reach a 25-year high this year, according to a study released Thursday by an economic think tank, with the national rate soaring to 17.2 percent and the rates in five states exceeding 20 percent. (Washington Post)

Major U.S. banks and securities firms are on pace to pay their people about $145 billion for 2009, a record sum that indicates how compensation is climbing despite fury over Wall Street’s pay culture. (Wall Street Journal)

The federal foreclosure prevention program was designed to help struggling homeowners reduce their monthly payments, but housing advocates say they frequently see homeowners rejected or kept in a trial modification for questionable reasons. “There’s a real resistance on the servicers’ part to making permanent modifications,” said Diane Thompson of the National Consumer Law Center. (ProPublica)…

Five Simple Ways to Improve Your Finances in 2010

There are no excuses left for not getting a good, firm grip on your money.

I’ll just earn more? Last year, even the richie-richest learned that cash doesn’t always keep rolling in.

I don’t know where to start? There are countless resources on the internet.

I don’t have time? There are great tools that will break it all down into steps that can take as little as a few minutes.

Learn your lesson from the recession, already, and get your financial ducks in a row. Start your year with these simple steps:

Get organized

Don’t know where to start? Our friends at LearnVest (one of Recessionwire’s content partners–hey Caroline Waxler!), are running a financial bootcamp this month…

The Yin and Yang of Financial Stress

Balance in our personal finances is important; when place too much emphasis on any one aspect of our financial plan, we often harm our financial (and emotional) wellbeing. Strive for equilibrium in these seven key areas:

Spending And Saving.

Saving for a rainy day is extremely important; however, it must be balanced with enjoyment of the journey. If you are afraid of what your financial future might bring, focus instead on what you want your future to bring. This doesn’t mean you should spend crazily…we’re talking about balance.

Taking Risks.

On one hand, being too conservative might inhibit your ability to reach your long-term goals. This is especially true when your investment decisions (or, more typically, inaction) are fear-based. On the other hand, while investors who take too many risks may reap bigger returns, they are also setting themselves up for very big losses…

Recession Briefing 12.11: McDonald’s Gets More Wallet-Friendly

McDonald’s is adding more dollar items to its breakfast menu, in an effort to jump-start sales that have been hit by the high jobless rate. (Reuters)

The Obama administration is proposing creating a new TARP program that gives banks access to government money without restrictions—as long as they use it to make loans to small businesses. (Washington Post)

Some businesses have been forced to close in Lake Oswego, Ore., but there has also been a small boom in new businesses thanks to the downturn. (The Oregonian)…