economy

MIAMI -- Lily Pabian and her husband Jeff learned to tag-team household tasks when he lost his job and she went from stay-at-home mom to part-time consultant. But the give-and-take turned into a juggling act when Jeff found work again three months later. Lily, a 37-year-old mother of three from Mapleton, Ga., kept working, but also kept most of the parenting responsibilities and Read more...

MILAN -- The global economic crisis has generated a new phenomenon: luxury shame, or the shunning of ostentatious purchases of expensive jewelry, watches and fashion, which is largely blamed for the projected 8 percent drop in the luxury market this year. But a Bain & Co. study released Monday indicates the phenomenon isn't durable, predicting a slight 1 percent increase in the luxury Read more...

EL PASO -- Concerns about the economy might cause people to develop more furrowed brows and deeper worry lines, but the shaky times also have many searching for inexpensive ways to iron out those wrinkles. Dr. Herbert Nassour said the El Paso, Texas, area and the nation have seen a surge in patients interested in getting Botox cosmetic injections, which paralyze selected facial muscles for Read more...

NAPLES, Fla. -- AgingCare.com, a website dedicated to adult children caring for their elderly parents, has gathered the top ten issues that affect caregivers. These issues are the most popular topics on the AgingCare.com community forum (www.agingcare.com/Community), where caregivers connect and communicate with one another. 1. Getting paid for caregiving. Oftentimes, adult children have to Read more...

Breaking up is hard to do, but during a recession, it's even tougher. Throughout Central Florida, couples who want to split up are handicapped: by the high cost of attorneys' fees, because they can't sell their homes or can't afford to set up two households. So some of them are stuck living together -- miserably. "Some are agreeing to be roommates and stay at separate ends of the Read more...

NEW YORK -- In this economy, we could probably all use a little pampering: a massage, a facial, a pedicure. Perhaps a nice soak in a hot whirlpool. The spa, new figures show, is one thing we're not giving up, even if it means opting for a cheaper experience and fewer treatments. In June, 46 percent of the 3,200 members of the International SPA Association reported an increase in the Read more...

Home prices rose across a large swath of the country during the second quarter, adding to the growing list of signs that the housing market has stabilized. Out of 155 markets included in the survey, 125 showed median price increases compared to the first quarter of this year. Overall, the National Association of Realtors reports a nearly 4 percent rise in the median sales price for single Read more...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Friends Marie Othic and Paula Younghanz last week picked up the perfect first birthday present -- colorful truffles and other treats -- for their two adopted girls. While Lacey and Sadie needed a little help opening the festive packages at their party, the golden retrievers didn't need any help finishing off the goodies from Kansas City, Mo., pet shop Land of Paws. Read more...

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- You can reduce stress by exercising and do it on a budget too. "You don't have to spend money to be active," said Jeremy Spencer, fitness coordinator for the Illinois Wesleyan University Wellness Program. That's good news for anyone whose stress is up because of the recession, state budget cuts or other challenges. Thousands of Central Illinoisans have been laid Read more...

A date doesn't need to break the bank, especially as potential partners are increasingly likely to value substance over style during the recession. These tips will help you whittle the costs of wooing and give the phrase "cheap date" new meaning. 1. Do your homework. Does your date dig dive bars? Or a neighborhood taqueria? Sometimes finding a hole-in-the-wall place -- instead Read more...