Tag Archives: Great Recession

No (psychological) bottom in the housing market — yet

May 14, 2010 – 6:13 am

by Hans Eisenbeis WHAT’S HAPPENING Have we reached a bottom yet in the housing market? Whether we have or not, many U.S. homeowners believe there’s more devaluation on the way. At least that’s the result of one survey at HousingPredictor.com, which found that in May 2010, more than two out of three consumers believe we […]

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The kids have come home, but can Mom and Dad afford them?

April 21, 2010 – 6:13 am

by Hans Eisenbeis WHAT’S HAPPENING Life has been pretty tough for Millennials during the Great Recession. They’ve suffered high unemployment rates, they carry lots of debt and they’re having trouble getting access to credit. That has sent many of them back home to the parents’ house. But in many cases, the parents are already having […]

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More extended families are living under one roof

April 5, 2010 – 6:05 am

by Hans Eisenbeis WHAT’S HAPPENING With as much as 12 months’ worth of home inventory on the market, and empty apartments everywhere, one might ask where everyone went. The answer, in many cases, is “back home.” Analysts looking closely at Census Bureau information have learned that multigenerational living has increased dramatically since the beginning of […]

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Millennials: Suddenly saving?

March 17, 2010 – 3:14 pm

by Hans Eisenbeis WHAT’S HAPPENING While we’ve reported that many postcollegiate Millennials are in terrible financial shape, thanks to loads of debt and awful job prospects, a July 2009 study by Fiserve finds that Millennial spending behavior has changed dramatically. 20somethings use their debit cards more often than any other generation, and more of them […]

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U.S. Latinas bearing recession’s brunt with lower pay, more fiscal responsibility

March 9, 2010 – 6:09 am

by Rocio Zamora Arzola WHAT’S HAPPENING U.S. Latinos are being hit hard by the recession. Hit harder: U.S. Latinas. For one, they’re making less in comparison to all U.S. men: In 2007, Latinas earned just 62 cents for every dollar men earned (TrinityTripod.com 2.16.10). And in Latino households, they’re responsible for more than half — […]

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PORTION PATROL

February 23, 2010 – 4:25 pm

by Lisa Pierce WHAT’S HAPPENING At a time when pennywise consumers have learned (reluctantly?) to stomach cutbacks in consumption, PepsiCo hopes to convince them to be pound smart. The global soda marketer is upsizing bottles of their low-sugar brands in the U.K. to “encourage” healthier drinking habits and help oversized Brits downsize their girth (FoodProductionDaily.com […]

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The new bill-paying hierarchy: Credit cards first, mortgage last

February 19, 2010 – 6:11 am

by Hans Eisenbeis WHAT’S HAPPENING For decades, consumers typically paid off their debts in a predictable way: Each month, they paid secured obligations first, and then worried about making their credit card payments. But that tradition got turned on its head at the outset of the Great Recession, and the trend has continued and strengthened […]

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FOOLS FOR FOOD

February 16, 2010 – 5:01 pm

by Charlotte Beal Valentine’s Day fell on a Sunday this year, but also on a three-day weekend for some lucky workers, and we bet that meant more people just focused on food and relaxation, staying home to cook a romantic dinner or going out to a low-key restaurant. Or they went to White Castle, which […]

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Trade School lets students pay tuition by barter

February 10, 2010 – 9:42 am

by Hans Eisenbeis WHAT’S HAPPENING OurGoods, a New York community bartering network, has established a night school that offers adult continuing education to students in exchange for barter items the teacher might want. One example: A writing instructor would like more locally grown organic produce. Students wishing to take her class can sign up to […]

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Pulling out the card: Latinos using credit for necessities

February 8, 2010 – 5:59 am

by Abelardo de la Peña Jr. WHAT’S HAPPENING Another recession situation: Latinos are pulling out the credit cards more often for everyday necessities, but also worrying about not being able to pay down the debt, according to a National Council of La Raza report (ChicanoNews.net 1.19.10). The report, based on findings from focus groups conducted […]

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Americans buy less stuff, experience more life during recession

January 29, 2010 – 6:51 am

by Hans Eisenbeis WHAT’S HAPPENING Before the Great Recession hit, we’d already documented a shift among aspirational consumers from buying goods to collecting experiences. Now that trend has mainstreamed in a big way, as financially strapped Americans are cutting their spending and replacing it with low-cost, high-value experiences. The U.S. Department of Labor tracked consumer […]

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Generosity: The career strategy

January 25, 2010 – 6:53 am

by Hans Eisenbeis WHAT’S HAPPENING Researchers looking into the biology of charity have found that brain chemistry is actually altered by acts of charitable giving. Now business strategists and professional coaches say that being generous can pay big dividends career-wise too (WSJ.com 12.20.09). Nice guys really don’t have to finish last. Jonathan Fields, author of […]

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Podcast: Happy New Year?

January 18, 2010 – 9:37 am

Derek Stubbs and Hans Eisenbeis discuss MoveYourMoney.info, the Credit CARD Act, and health insurance reform. Download the podcast here: Happy New Year?: Bottoms Up Podacst #32 34 min., 57 sec.

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Millennials drive the move to smaller cars

December 30, 2009 – 11:34 am

by Cree McCree WHAT’S HAPPENING Think small. That’s the Millennial mantra when it come to cars. Half of today’s young adults are buying compacts or subcompacts, while only one in five are choosing a midsize model (New York Times 11.19.09). With Millennials poised to become the largest car-buying cohort, Ford is betting its future on […]

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¡El arból! ¡La sandia!: Loteriá becomes part of a family’s Christmas gift-giving tradition

December 29, 2009 – 10:40 am

by Abelardo de la Peña Jr. WHAT’S HAPPENING Gift exchanging gets a thrifty twist at a Mexican American family’s annual Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) get together. A high-spirited game of Lotería, where gift cards are the prizes and participation is voluntary, keeps spirits soaring amidst the eating and gossiping (Iconoculture observation 12.24.08). As the family […]

By Iconoculture | Posted in Consumers, Latino, Retail | Also tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off
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