I don't think the recession has affected everyone. Most people still have jobs and are doing just fine. You wouldn't know that by listening to the news, though. It's hard to find a parking place at most restaurants, shopping malls, Wal-Mart, etc... here.

I think the media makes it out worse than it is, I know it is bad but by the way they talk everyone is losing their homes and standing in food lines.

I think some people are just stupid and nothing is going to stop them from spending even if they don't have the money. Unfortunately, I'm seeing that a lot around this area. OTOH, there are some great deals to be had by those that have the money. There are some of those people also. And then some of us have just hit a point in our life where it's time to replace stuff or upgrade. We're doing some of that as well as putting money back for a rainy day.

One of my friends goes to the casinos at Tunica, she
tells me loads of people are still going there.

We do our daily walk in a mall and we still see lots of shoppers there.

This is in North Mississippi, and Memphis area.

Dh and I last went to Tunica about 10 years ago. We went once or twice a year for fun and only brought about $100 which was an amount we could afford to lose as we considered it a night's worth of entertainment. It was really scary for us to see people cashing paychecks at the casino. I know there are some people who can afford it, but there are a lot of people who can't. I can't listen to stories of people trying to win money to pay the mortgage or rent. That's not real life for me.

i just bought a car today, ford escape. i've needed one for 6 mo. since i've known the transmission was going out but have been afraid i would not get a good short-term small loan rate. well i should not have listened to the news and just tried cuz i got an awesome deal (more $$ than i planned for my cherokee too) and very low rate. i should have saved myself & dh tons of stress over the last 6 mo and tried lol. i did get a loan but do have the cash to pay for the car i just don't want to give it up all at once lol so i'll auto pay the loan for 2 yrs from that acct.

i have been looking all that time and almost everyday i found something i wanted online and w/in days it sold, people w/o financial problems are out there. we just found out at work we get our overtime back YIPPEE, that was a 30% pay cut for me last yr. we need that reward too since they laid off 60% of the employees but we now have to do their work plus our own. ~ liz

I'm not seeing a lot of people out of work in my area at all. Have been keeping a close eye on the real estate market, since we'll be listing our house soon--and houses around here are selling quickly, for every bit as much as they were selling a year ago. To be honest, the news IS reporting that the real estate market in our area hasn't been much affected. However, just 30 miles away, the area where we're moving, houses are sitting and sitting, not selling. Many have been for sale for a year or more. Great for us, of course, we bought low, and should be able to 'sell high' to maximize our $$$, but there are a lot of variations, I think, from one place to the next.

But there are a lot of good bargains out there. Restuarants have a lot of BOGO offers, coupons. Prices for all sorts of things are down here. We've been finding a lot of amazing prices on things we need for the new house--again, lucky time to be fixing up 2 homes--one to move into, one to sell.

There are lots of really good deals on things right now, so if you have the money it's a good time to buy. Hopefully those lucky enough to have secure jobs and some disposable income will help to stimulate this economy.

It's income tax refund time. We have been busy at the shop not doing maintance or repairs but adding lots of chrome do das to their bikes. Which means I can buy groceries this week. We are almost at the end of our "season" here in FL. There are no jobs and people are getting desperate, at least around here.

I don't notice any difference in the people out shopping. However I don't go to that many stores. I do shopping once a week and the stores I go to seem busy as ever. It seems just as many are eating out also.

Here in NC, people are still shopping, too. It's incredible to me because I do hear about how bad many hae it, yet, the stores are packed. I like to kill some time before carpool at A.C. Moore or Michaels. The lines are incredible and so is the at. spent! Same goes for our malls. People are buying trees and flowers and still beautifying their areas, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Dicks, Best Buy, restaurants are all places we frequent though not always buy stuff at, yet, the lines are long and people buying. I guess that's good that people are spending $$ but you do wonder how big a hole they're getting into.

Things here are up and down, my friend has a high end bridal and formal store and since prom season is around the corner she is busy. But the general stores in our mall look to be lack luster, even with sales.

We went to Pittsburgh this weekend, went into an IKEA and the place was a madhouse. So were DWS shoes and several other of the shops we visited.

There was a 'one-man's-story' article in Sunday's Chicago Tribune by a reporter who is getting into a hole. I followed the story with interest until the end, where he talks about wanting to vacation in Florida next January; do extensive renovations to his kitchen and basement; buy a summer home in Michigan.

Earlier he tells us he is $50K in debt; has no savings; has no college funds for his two kids, one of whom requires special ed as a grammar schooler. They have a home (with mortgage) and one car (paid for). They take in $100K a year -- but remember, he works for a *newspaper*. They live paycheck-to-paycheck.

I hope he does go out and buy a new grill -- and stays home to create some cheap meals and fun. He sure isn't going to Florida the way I see it!