We Love NPR

It's clear that we here at Recession This! are big fans of NPR, probably because they're smart and they offer a lot of free stuff, like their podcasts, which cover many topics from news to entertainment. My ipod podcast list looks like a love letter to NPR. (My husband says "If you love it so much why don't you marry it?" To which I reply, "Maybe I will." And then he says, "Well, go ahead." And then I say... you get the picture.) I've recently added Planet Money, and I'm hooked. I was reluctant at first; all this recession business really gets me down. Plus, there is so much I don't understand that I didn't want to listen to a podcast that would make me feel even more confused. Fortunately, Planet Money breaks down the economic crisis in an average of twenty minute easy to understand episodes. And, they keep in mind that many of their listeners probably did not study money in school, so it's very audience friendly. The hosts are pretty cool, too. If you want to make heads or tails of our crazy financial world then I highly recommend starting with Planet Money.

Image taken from NPR's website.

Get rid of your car

We all know, driving less is better for the environment. And it's definitely better for your budget. Recession This! readers in NYC and other large cities are probably aware of car sharing companies but perhaps you haven't given it a try. Recently, multiple options for car sharing have become available in NYC. New York Magazine had an article in March comparing 2 new companies (Connect by Hertz and Mint) to the more established Zipcar. Recession This! has not tries either Connect by Hertz or Mint so we can't compare ourselves but several of us are happy Zipcar members.

A Zipcar membership allows you access to over 1670 cars in the 5 boroughs & New Jersey and anywhere else they are available. You can add family members or friends or significant others to your account. There are several different payment plan options depending on how often you want to use the cars. Each plan includes tax, gas and insurance while you drive. For details on how the program works, check out Zipcar's comprehensive site.

I'm here to encourage you to give it a try. We use a Zipcar about once every 2 months to pick up and drop off at our storage unit (the curse of the tiny NYC apartment), drop off stuff at Goodwill (for a tax credit!), take a day-trip out of NYC, pick up free furniture from friends and even to stock up at Trader Joe's in Queens.

If you're curious, Recession This! can offer you $25 in driving credit when you sign up for Zipcar - another way to save a little money! Click the button above or click here to Join Zipcar and get $25 in free driving!

Recession Pampering

Many of you ladies (and some of you men) may be assuming that you have to give up your spa pampering and treatments now that the recession has gotten us all. Never fear - there are still ways to frugally indulge yourself and stay pretty (or handsome)!

Recession This! found this great article about facials on a budget at Skincare-news.com. It's packed with money-saving tips and informational links.

Also, look for your local Spa Week, when local spas feature specials and deals on all kinds of services and products.
Check out SpaWeek.com for more information on deals near you. Don't miss the Steals & Deals page for recent offers and monthly specials.

Consider doing a DIY Manicure or DIY Pedicure at home. Look for deals at an online drugstore or your local drugstore.

Stay pretty frugal and frugally pretty!