The XX Factor

Zoos across the country are reporting higher attendance as consumers look for affordable entertainment closer to home . ( Springfield News-Leader )

As well-off families confront the new contours of their budgets, education may emerge as an attractive, if painful, place to cut. ( New York Times /City Room )

The recession has begun to cut into eating habits , affecting not only how much we fork out on food but also what we are putting into our shopping baskets. ( BBC ) There are easy ways to cut down on your grocery bill. ( Recessionwire )

A standoff at a Georgia chicken plant shows how two important imperatives in a recession - creating jobs and cutting excess capacity - can collide . ( Wall Street Journal )

Across the country, slim financial aid packages and family monetary concerns are preventing students from attending their choice university . ( Dallas Morning News )

Twyla Prindle on what should you tell your children about the recession. ( Examiner )

DIY Nation: Strapped consumers are trying to save money by cutting expenses such as lawn services, opting instead to tackle projects themselves. ( Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette )

The recession is hitting harder than forecast in the U.K., as figures show the country’s GPD dropping 2.4%, the most since 1958 . ( Bloomberg )

The securities firms still standing on Wall Street are about to close the most lucrative quarter since the credit crisis erupted. ( Wall Street Journal )

More landlords have loosened their pet policies over the past 18 months , responding to a spike in demand from pet-owning renters - many of whom have been victims of foreclosures. ( Associated Press )