How Hard Is The Economic Pinch Being Felt?

The economic crisis is causing long lines in many places - including Hollywood's Central Casting. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays anyone can register to be a movie extra. Extras don't need auditions. They don't need head shots. All they need is $25 for the registration fee and they become extras. Extras don't speak on camera, they are forbidden to talk to the director or the stars and they have to provide their own costumes. They are just meant to flesh-out the background. Because extras are paid $64 a day, during the recession it is literally an "extra" way to make money.

The economic crisis and shifting demographics have left Uniontown, Pennsylvania - population 13,000 - without enough wealthy residents to continue having a one-hundred-one-year-old, private club. As a result, they opened the dining room to the public, relaxed the dress code and now feature "budget conscious eating". The same problem faces country clubs everywhere. Some have cut initiation fees. Others have eliminated them. According to the National Golf Federation, more than 500 clubs may close and twice as many members resigned in 12 months as do during a typical year. For now it seems the White House is the peoples' "country club".

The economic crisis caused an expected decline in charitable giving; but according to the "Giving USA Foundation", which reports annually on charity trends, 2008 charitable donations totaled $307 billion - only a 2% drop from 2007. In fact, donations to religious groups went up more than 5%. Donations to the United Way and other umbrella charities went up too. However, donations to charities involving the arts, health, environment and education declined 5%; and donations to groups helping the disadvantaged declined the most - 13%. When it comes to having shorter lines for food programs and homeless shelters, charitable giving was "shortsighted".

Nevertheless, the economic crisis hasn't caused extra fees just for air-traveling Americans. The Spanish airline Vueling charges for picking seats. Basic, behind-the-wings seats cost an extra $4.05. An aisle or window seat with the guarantee of an empty middle seat costs an extra $40.50. European Ryanair charges $6.75 for online check-in and $13.50 for airport check-in. As a publicity stunt, the CEO of Ryanair suggested charging fees for lavatory use and air sick bags. Unfortunately, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration say there is no rule against such fees. It seems when traveling by air, everything is "feesible".