@vastrightwing:
Well, I'm a college student currently taking the core economics class. According to my professor, our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is going up. But, companies are still shedding jobs. So, part of the economy has recovered and part of it hasn't.

@critters: The problem is that the GDP is the primary measure of our economy. It's used as a sword (Obama- the recession is over) and shield (Bush- there's no recession). I keep saying what's needed is a "meta" measure of our economy. So put economic measures into a few different categories: Employment and Salaries/ GDP, export, and productivity/ Debt and Savings/ Government Debt/ Stocks, Bonds, Derivatives, etc. So for Employment and Salaries, we'd look at unemployment rate, discouraged workers, mean salaries (not average since that gets skewed by the wealthy), etc. Each of those feed into a score (1-10, 1-100,etc.), which then feeds into a Category Score for Employment and Salary. Do that for each major category and you have enough detail to figure out where the strengths and weaknesses are within the economy without over/under simplification. If you want to break it out, its easier to do.

I'm not in a big spending mood or any sense of obligation to do so.

A good example is another couple we know that used to buy every meal somewhere or order pizza. They also went through a ton of beer and rum every week. Like cases and gallons. We make most of our own meals and really don't drink that much, maybe at social gatherings. Then they couldn't figure out how we could afford a house and two decent cars but they couldn't when we made about the same amount of money they did.

You might as well spend it now, before the government taxes you in to oblivion.

We see it more as a time for togetherness. Especially with parts of the family living around the globe, most of the fun is just seeing everyone. The presents are just kind of perfunctory. I think this is a lesson that children should be taught early. It's that whole "the REAL meaning of Christmas" thing.

duh. These reports always seem to be surprised that people actually make long term decisions as opposed to how they "feel" at the moment. Anyone fiscally sane isn't going to base their spending habits on just how the economy is doing now, they're gonna look at what's coming up next. Inflation. More joblessness. bah humbug

@pecan 3.14159265: One year for Christmas, I gave my cousin my entire crate of Animorphs books- the first 35 or so in the series. It kept him occupied until around Valentine's Day.

Jobs continue to be lost, homes continue to be foreclosed upon, credit continues to be tight (not necessarily a bad thing) or ridiculously offered (29% With fees!) and there's little indication that the Wall Street/Banksters "boom" is going to trickle down anytime soon.

Just because some economic brainiac in some government office decided to announce the recession is over, green shoots are sprouting, and happy days are here again, doesn't necessarily make it so. I mean, weren't we hearing that the fundamentals of the economy were strong just before the sucker crashed?

It's almost as if these so-called experts don't inhabit the same planet or, at the very least, their ivory towers are so high they have no concept of what's actually happening on the ground below them. What they're selling, we ain't buying. We really can't afford it anymore.

The calico that adopted us, however, has the "Stimpy" look most of the time...

@Kimaroo - Fortified with Kittydus Purrularis: If I had my way, I'd be stopping for every dog and cat that I saw wandering alongside the road.

@HogwartsAlum: I have found that telling others not to get you anything doesn't really work. It's fun to give, even if you can't receive : ) As long as they understand that you're strapped, I wouldn't worry or get angry if they get you something anyway.

@pecan 3.14159265: We got Alfred (the tuxedo kitty) from a girl that worked at a vets office. She said someone came and dropped him and his sister off in a box. Alfred was a teensie baby kitty when we got him. (Weened though, I'd love to experience the bottle feeding a kitten once in my life though. So cute.)

And Bastien (the one in my icon) basically found us.. or Mr. Aroo I guess really. He walked into Mr. Aroo's store one day (it was rainey) and Mr. Aroo kept putting him back outside but he would wait till a customer would walk in and he would walk right in again like, "Don't worry, I made it back in!"

Finally they let him stay and then saw how cuddley he is, and Mr. Aroo called me and said, "Um.. you wanted another cat, right?" We weren't really planning it at the time, but we took him. I'm glad we did. He is most attached to me and he is sooo cuddley. It works out well because Alfred is attached to Mr. Aroo, which was a bummer for me when we were an only-cat house.

He must have been on the streets for a while because he was pretty thin, and now he will eat ANYTHING. No idea where he came from orrigionally though.

@Kimaroo - Fortified with Kittydus Purrularis: My bunny probably came from a pet store, which is sad. I rescued him from someone who couldn't take care of him anymore though. He's so much better off with me, even though I forgot to feed him this morning because I woke up late and practically ran out the door. He usually still has a ton of food in the morning though and gets through it by the afternoon.

@pecan 3.14159265: Both of my boys were rescued/strays so I know what you mean. I'm guessing that he was buying from a breeder because it was pretty high for the price of a dog.

The only reason I know that is what it was for was because he put on the loan application, "Purpose: Puppy".

@mm16424: Actually they typically do do that, but they come in and withdraw it from their savings through the year so it isn't there when Christmas comes. They don't ALL do that.. but some do..

I work at a credit union, and we offer these loans.. I'm just doing my job.. yada yada yada.

@Kimaroo - Fortified with Kittydus Purrularis: Thank goodness these loans exist! God forbid someone might actually have to put aside $25, $50, or $100 for 12 months. After all, that's good lotto money right there.

@Kimaroo - Fortified with Kittydus Purrularis: It pains me when people buy cats and dogs. Adoption, please!

@h3llc4t, breaker of office dress codes: One of my young relatives is getting Harry Potter books. I'm hoping she'll read The Hobbit at some point, but I think even Harry Potter is an uphill battle (she doesn't enjoy reading).

@pecan 3.14159265: Yeah, they are small signature loans. We lend up to 5000 dollars, but usually they only want to borrow like 500-1000 for gifts and things.

Some do back to school loans too, we offer signature loans all year but those are two times of year that they are really popular.

One noteable, unusual, reason for a loan was a guy wanted money to buy a puppy for his daugther.

They like doing them because rather than putting it on a credit card, the intrest here is lower, and the payments come directly out of their paychecks.

@pecan 3.14159265: Me too... Sooo slow.

Much of it is media/politics related. The party out of power wants to convince you that things are horrible and that you need to vote for them to make it better/ less bad. Happens on both sides.

The media likes any story that scares you or shows people suffering (which they are, don't get me wrong) That makes people even more spendthrift and more angry.

@Kimaroo - Fortified with Kittydus Purrularis: People get Christmas loans? Like for gifts? Wow.

@SkuldChan: Exactly. I have some used books for my young relatives this year, and some cheaper toys that they'll enjoy.

I'm waiting to see what happens.. If people come in for Christmas loans I know that they will be spending money.. if they don't, I know it will be another slow year for everyone.

Last year was slloooowww. But this year so far people are spending more money than they did last year.

Thats one of the interesting things about my job, I actually get to somewhat see people's real spending habits.

@MostlyHarmless: My personal cat photo would be of a slightly sleepy cat who is hungry. I can't wait for the open thread today. Today's going by so slowly.

I've basically adapted in moderating non-essential expenditures, and I never used to be much of a "consumer" of frivilous goods anyway. However, I'm (not-so) secretly hoping that other people return to their spendthrift ways.

At least it'll end the recession faster, allowing the people who actually learned a thing or two to prosper.

So now I just get them cheap stuffed toys or action figures. It may seem from the outside to be heartless, but my nephew's favorite toy to this day is a stuffed toy cat I bought him last Christmas - he won't go to bed without and it cost like $5.