The Bright Side

It turns out that a recession is the best time to travel if you have the cash. My wife and I were looking to go to Florida this upcoming February. Last year, the tickets would have cost us over $2,000 for our famliy of five. The quote we received this year - $1,035 on Delta, taxes included. Throw in a week rental of a minivan and the price was $1,600. That's pretty darn good for traveling during peak time.

In general, if you have cash in your pocket you're going to find some great deals. The WSJ reported that at malls:

"Shoppers can find a bonanza of deals on everything from Prada shoes to premium jeans and smart phones. Discounters like T.J. Maxx and Overstock.com and outlet stores like Saks Fifth Avenue Off Fifth are all stocking some of the best selections of apparel, accessories and electronic goods -- at some of the best prices -- due to the sharp falloff in consumer spending that has forced full-price stores to unload excess inventory."

If you've saved your cash, now is a pretty good time to snap up some of the things you've had your eye on for some time. That's not to say you become a spender, but the bright side to all of this is that cash is king and if you have it, you're in a pretty good spot.

The Bright Side

I'm looking for positive stories to highlight in the Bright Side. If you have news of something positive happening in the economy, let me know and I'll post it with a call out to you. Not all is doom and gloom and the world is not ending, at least not yet.