Today’s bad economy does have a few advantages. One advantage is the opportunity to negotiate good deals on goods and services. Business are in a good mood for negatiating a lower price when the economy is sour because existing customers are much more important as new customers are harder to get. Here is a good article on the subject: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090917/ap_on_bi_ge/us_fea_lifestyles_haggling