For many months now our nation's leaders have bent over backwards to avoid admitting what is painfully obvious to those of us on the ground: The economy sucks. Anyone who goes to the supermarket, pays rent or a mortgage or puts gas in their car knows we're already in a recession.

So it's amusing to watch people like U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson twitch so as he is forced to admit that the country's economy is indeed up the creek.

And now we get these headlines! Frugality is in! Time for Americans to relearn how to live within their means! No more free lunch!

In other words, it's time for Americans to take a lesson from their grandparents and stop living beyond their means. I'm all for it, of course. And I'd like to see our Free-Market Republican leadership do the same. But that doesn't look too likely, what with all the bank bailouts coming down the pike, and the ongoing money sink of Iraq.

"A chicken in every pot, and a car in every garage" is starting to sound like a viable campaign slogan again.

When I was 16 I drove my parents' used '85 Subaru station wagon (a.k.a. The Silver Bullet). I was just thrilled to be behind the wheel of something with four moving tires. I could pack at least five friends in it legally and a few more if we avoided driving by the Dairy Queen in our small Texas Town. That was where you cops drank coffee.

The Bullet was great on gas mileage and 100% paid off. In fact my parents never took a loan out on a car. They bought used vehicles in good condition with whatever they had in their bank account. Now, we didn't live under a rock, our family had two credit cards, but they either always had low or no balances on them. This lack of debt wasn't because they had a lot of money to pay off cards off each month; it was because they never spent a lot on things that they "wanted." They only made purchases they needed.

In an earlier post, I noted a few items that are probably cheaper in a city than in your hometown. Looking around a little more, I realized that I only scratched the surface. Here, then, are Five More Things That Are (Probably) Cheaper in the City Than Where You Are Living

1. Clothing: Even apart from thrift stores, discount stores, clothing banks, and so forth, clothes are still much cheaper in the city. As with anything else, it comes down to competition. There aren't a lot of small towns that can support more than one or two quirky boutiques, but a good-sized city can support dozens, if not hundreds. In this environment, clothes prices tend to be lower. Granted, this won't make your life any easier if you have your heart set on a Gucci overcoat or Prada banana hammock, but if you're a little flexible and not a total brand whore, a little time and energy should help you find what you're looking for at far below what Nordstrom's, Hecht's, or Lord and Taylor are laughingly asking.

On a side note, thrift stores in the city tend to have a much better selection than in the country. The best thrift
shopping I've ever seen was in Menlo Park, California, which is part of the suburban sprawl surrounding San Francisco. In addition to the cool midrange shirts I found at amazing prices, I came across a Versace suit in a Salvation Army thrift store and my wife discovered a pair of Manolos in another joint. Unfortunately, the prices were steep, but I found an awesome silk and worsted wool suit that I bought for $20.