5 things the recession put an end to

Jennifer McClelland | RSS | Wed, Dec 02 2009 | 17 Comments

Everyone remembers before the recession how things were. There were people who would show how much money they could spend running rampant. Most of those people have been silenced by the recession as everyday average Americans have grown tired of extravagance.

So here are a few of the things that have gone almost extinct through the recession:

1. Unaccountability. People feel as though CEOs and high level executives have had a hand in the recession due to their lack of accountability. We never heard from them or made them accountable for actions they may have done. However, now, they end up being the most accountable and when a company does something wrong, the CEO is the first to blame and the first to go.

2. People flaunting their extravagance. The days of people owning things like Hummers, bling, and having their homes featured on shows like Cribs has come to an end (for now anyway). Even the once very public Paris Hilton has been fairly unseen recently. Hummer has been dropped from the GM lineup and people are cutting back wherever they can.

3. Outrageous Gas Prices. I’m sure this one will end up making a comeback eventually, but as of right now the average for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is around $2.65. This is far from the record highs of $4.10 a gallon for the same grade of gasoline from last year. Many people welcome the difference due to lower income levels and higher unemployment.

4. Less junk mail. Before there was a credit crisis everyone was getting credit card offers, including children and cats. Now there aren’t as many credit card offers floating around and credit card companies are being a bit more careful about who they are sending pre-approved offers to.

5. Stores that sell stuff we don’t need. Stores like the Sharper Image have just simply disappeared in the last year because they sell stuff that people don’t need and typically can’t even create a need for.

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Tags: credit card, junk mail, sharper image

Oil and gas prices are playing an interesting game

Jennifer McClelland | RSS | Sat, Jan 17 2009 | 0 Comments

Everyday oil prices fluctuate, sometimes more than the overall market itself. Oil had a bit of a rally just after New Year’s with the “good” outlook and the fighting in the Middle East, but now it has dropped below $40 a barrel again, settling today around $36.

So, why have gas prices steadily risen for the last few weeks. When oil was at $35 a barrel right before Christmas I was paying $1.49 a gallon, now I’m paying $1.79…with prices just updating in the last day or two.

Even the average gas price is rising, so it’s not just local. However, my area is typically (being in Mississippi) lower than the average by about $0.10, but now is only lower by $0.01.

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Tags: flu, middle east, gas price

Gas prices down again.

Jennifer McClelland | RSS | Sun, Dec 28 2008 | 0 Comments

Just like last week, gas prices have hit a five year low. Today’s national average is $1.63 a gallon for regular unleaded.

The source I’m using for this entry says that the cheapest gas in the country is in Utah at $1.45, but obviously they aren’t polling areas around Memphis, TN, where gas is less than $1.45 a gallon.  Regular unleaded was under $1.45 last week right before Christmas there.

Gas has fallen from record highs to 5 year lows in a matter of months.

Source

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Tags: record, dow, memphis