Thursday, Apr. 16, 2009

Smart Spending Tips

Cash is king during any recession for a lot of reasons; not least being that it provides a welcome cushion for any temporary loss of income. If you've lost your job, or might, this is no time to go on a shopping spree. But if you feel secure at work and have a little spare cash, you can indeed be treated like royalty in these difficult times. Spend wisely now and you'll save a bundle over what things will cost once the recession lifts — a day that, thankfully, may be approaching faster than you think. Some bright spots have emerged recently in areas like housing and consumer spending, hinting that the economy may be starting to bottom out. For example, sales of existing homes jumped 5.1% and factory orders rose 1.8% in February. We're not out of the woods by a long shot. But if you have the urge to cut loose a bit, here are 10 things to buy now — before they get more expensive.

See 25 people to blame for the financial crisis.