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People Buying Mason Jars, Burying Money In Backyard Save Email Print
Posted: 10:21 PM Oct 10, 2008
Last Updated: 10:21 PM Oct 10, 2008
Reporter: Lauren Zakalik
Email Address: lauren.zakalik@wilx.com

A | A | A

With promises like "quick cash" in a time like this, it's no wonder Dicker and Deal pawn shop in Lansing is seeing lines out the door when they open in the morning.

"It's been really crazy," says Floyd Meagher, manager of Dicker and Deal. "People are selling just about everything they've got. They're cleaning out their garages, cleaning out their basements..."

Meagher says since the economy tanked, they've seen a 20 percent jump in people trading their earthly possessions for cold, hard cash.

"Car stereos, house stereos, tools, jewelry, tv's, you name it," Meagher says. "If it's sellable, they're bringing it in, they're trying to get a buck off it.

"People talking about gas, no jobs, 'I gotta feed the kids this week,'" Meagher says.

While some people are looking to make more money in this down economy, others want to hold on to what they've got. In order to do that, some people are turning to some old fashioned Mason jars.

"They've actually gone to burying their money in the backyard," says Denny Perdue, who owns Vet's Ace Hardware in Lansing.

Perdue is seeing up to 10 people a week stocking up while the stock market's down. You can get a 12-pack of the glass cash cannister for $10.49. Perdue says you can buy a shovel while you're at it.

"We've run out of these several times," he says. "At this point we're trying to keep more in stock.

"I had never guessed in these times we'd be selling Mason jars to bury in the backyard," Perdue says.

Whether you're making new green--- or preserving your greens-- people are finding new ways to make sure their green doesn't disappear.

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Posted by: How Stupid on Oct 11, 2008 at 08:08 PM
Or, just maybe they're canning. Da. If all else fails make up a story.

Posted by: JoeyLoey Location: Lansing on Oct 11, 2008 at 11:26 AM
I remember how people laughed at me for wanting to become a nurse and not get a job in the factories. But now that I can pretty much write my own ticket at any hospital in the state, and have not been effected by the economic downturn, am still driving my full size SUV, and just got back from a vacation in Europe.. Look who's laughing now... I can even afford to park in the McNamera parking garage at DTW...

WILX Poll
Should The Government Have A Stake In The Big 3?

Yes
No


Expert: Big 3 Failure Would Be Disaster
Expert: Big 3 Failure Would Be Disaster
  • Posted By: craigIf anyone in power was really concerned with helping people of lesser means we would be talking about bring jobs back to the USA where we can prosper and be proud of hard work again. how about a bailout for the countless unemployed AMERICANS, or parents on the brink of disaster that will last a lifetime.
  • Posted By: craiggovernment should help automakers at this point, however to say they (auto makers) are not responsible for the recession is absurd. how many more jobs can they push overseas before there will be no one left to purchase their products anyhow?
  • Posted By: BuzzWhy should the Big 3 be bailed out? GM wants to sell off our discontinue the Saturn, which is affordable but has made no mention of discontinuing the Corvette and other less affordable models. If GM wants help have them pick one particular model in each of its lines, i.e. the Lacrosse for Buick, Impala for Chevrolet and the Aura for Saturn. GM is about as impervious as the out-going President is - they just don't get it! I read and sympathize with the line workers who say they can't even afford to buy a new car from the company that they work for - that's pretty sad and certainly doesn't promote company solidarity. Like I've said before, make the Big 3 sell what's sitting at all the dealerships even if they have to take a loss before making another automobile. Why keep making what nobody wants at prices nobody wants to pay?
  • Posted By: BethThe Big 3 failure would be a major disaster - I agree. However, I don't feel that the government or tax payers should bail them out until they have made the same kinds of concessions that citizens, small business, and union members have already made. Begin by severely downsizing the execs and their benefits i.e. luxuries. Times are tough and they should share in the "recession life style" is part of the reason for decreased car sales. I need a newer car badly, but it's not on my shopping list any time soon. They are flying and driving nice cars. Get real! The union members have suffered considerable cuts already including loss of workers, benefits and wages. Make equal cuts in management, wages, and benefits, then look at union members' additional concessions, and financial aide from the government.
  • Posted By: jonlike i said we the workers will and are getting hurt.they gain we lose
  • Posted By: METhank you UAW, if the union would not have barganed until the big 3 couldn't afford it any more we would all be able to afford nice cars. I was in the union before and it definently isnt all peaches and cream. Sure they will fight to get you more but look what it has done.. Workers recieved more then the company could afford and now more may lose everything. Thanks again UAW. It is flat out B.S. that the government will bail out huge corporations but only give the autos a loan. Its all for the politicians gain, main street America has been hurting alot longer then wall street, but wall street affected the politicians pocket so they did something about it. Mr & Mrs politician help us out, cut your pay & benefits.......quit cutting ours.
  • Posted By: LegallyRadTo Explain: If the banks were not bailed out, that would have affected the big 3, and every other business that deals with the banks (show me one that doesn't). This has nothing to do with Bush. Big 3 are very poorly run, and concede too much to organized labor. The bail out will first be essentially worthless since it will amount to a drop in a bucket, and the companies just blow cash. They need to fail to preserve our American capitalistic economy. Chances are only one or two of them will go out of business, but if they properly restructure then they could be saved... restructuring means cutting labor costs and consolidating products. If you want to blame something, it's mostly due to the mortgage crisis which began with Carter and Clinton who refused to allow banks to ensure that people could actually pay for their loans because they felt it might be discrimination. Look where that policy got us. Bush just happens to be in office when their poorly built floor calapsed.
  • Posted By: MicheleI cannot believe that they are not going to bail out the Big 3.Ford is not even sure it is going to need the money. And why do the banks get bailouts with no questions asked but they make the Big 3 jump through hoops of fire and all they want to do is borrow the money...... Reid is an idiot, and doesn't have a clue of how manufacturing works and what the ramifications down the road will be. Including restraurant, stores, and other service industries closing and going out of business due to lack of business. Let's keep America working!
  • Posted By: George Bush did not run our country in the ditch. He crash it stright into the wall at 100/mph.
  • Posted By: patthis is one more reason we need to thank George Bush for running our country into the ditch!

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