Obama Stimulates Thrift Store Economy

Goodwill Industries International CEO Jim Gibbons told the paper that demand at Goodwill's stores "is going through the roof."

"The demand and need is ... 10 times bigger than our ability to keep up with it," he is quoted as saying. _TheStarPress_via_FinancialArmageddon

For many in the US under the age of 40, an unprecedented malaise is spreading through their towns, neighborhoods, and circle of friends. Prospects for jobs has never been bleaker, and a suspicion that the federal government is not being honest with them about how badly the economic recovery has been mishandled is growing. Still, most people focus simply on getting by.

Now that spring is here, clothing donations at Attic Window are up and a surplus once again exists, but furniture and appliance donations still are down. Raines thinks this is just another example of people saving money by holding onto more expensive items longer instead of upgrading with newer replacements.

Around the country, non-profit groups say the slumping economy has affected donations, especially in states that have been hit hardest by the recession.

Major Man-Hee Chang, who is in charge of The Salvation Army's thrift stores and alcohol-and-drug rehab programs they fund in 13 western states, recently told USA Today that, "Demand is up, but donations are down." _FinancialArmageddon

Clothing and possession swaps -- barter -- once the province of depression and war-time economies, is now going mainstream.

The rise of the quid pro quo possession comes courtesy of a host of reasons: budget-tightening during a persistently sour economy (swapping is mostly free, save for shipping costs or, for face-to-face fetes, a nominal entry fee); eBay, consignment-store and yard-sale fatigue (you might only get a few dollars for all the effort required); hand-me-down headaches (rifling through a garbage bag of kids' clothes is daunting and inefficient); environmental awareness (swapping, of course, is the ultimate form of recycling) and fashion experimentation (it's a frugal way to try out trends). _USAToday

As America sinks more deeply into the Obama quagmire, barter will grow even more popular than it is. Expect the IRS to begin looking more closely at such transactions. Then expect popular reaction to the IRS (and the O-P regime in general) to grow distinctly more hostile.

Doing more with less involves thrifty shopping and judicious barter. Although many are being forced into such thriftiness, quite a few are thereby discovering an ingenious side of themselves they never suspected. That will be important as things proceed.