The stumbling economic recovery has led many of us to rein in our expenses, even on necessities like diapers. But there are a few lucky sectors that benefit from a weak economy — things that let us escape, give us momentary pleasure or temporarily relieve our stress. They’re the small things, like donuts and yoga [...]
Continuing in a series of posts gathering financial wisdom from unusual sources—ranging from Dungeons & Dragons and Charlie Sheen to geese flying patterns and Star Wars—here are some more financial lessons found in unlikely places.
Here’s what you absolutely need to practice yoga: your body, some time, and a little floor space. A mat helps. The long list of things you don’t need, but have somehow been deemed essential, includes $100 yoga pants, New Age-y music, incense, a fancy, upscale studio setting, and a superstar, big-ego instructor whom you pay [...]
I’ve always been puzzled by the variety of ways people will pay to exercise, from gym memberships to personal trainers and beyond. Added to that are all of the exercise paraphernalia—designer yoga outfits, pulse monitors, skin-tight cycling shirts and shorts, all manner of tiny digital entertainment devices. To get some exercise, however, all you really [...]
The recession has provided a moment to step back and contemplate, to come to a truer understanding of life lessons like that happiness is not derived from material things. The financial downturn has also passed along some slightly odd teachings, like that fewer people die at the workplace when there are fewer people actually at [...]
It’s not all gloom and doom. Businesses are struggling, the housing market may have crashed, and jobs may have disappeared en masse, but today’s consumer is in the driver’s seat. And perhaps as in any crisis, people are being reminded about what’s really important in life.
With few exceptions, people are spending less nowadays. But there are exceptions to the spend-less rule. So what sorts of things are we actually spending more on of late?
