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Everyone is looking for indicators that the economy is improving and the recession–or the great recession or the very nearly recession/depression of 2007– is over.

That we’re going to be okay.

That we won’t soon devolve into a post-Apocalyptic Road Warrior world where water and cell phone chargers become standard currency.

I’ve got one for ya that things are looking up. I don’t have to bring my own towels to work anymore.

The Price of Laundry and How it Affects the Recession

See my small office building shares a workout gym with four other builidings–gym being generous; it’s really nothing more than free weights and an elliptical machine.

And unlike beer and Star Wars DVD’s, complimentary towels are not recession-proof.

See, when the economy tanked in 2007, the number of full-time long-term employees in my business park mecca of San Diego tanked as well.

And what replaced them were young, part-time temps straight out of Manpower University. And not to perpetuate a stereotype but…well…temps, like honey badgers, don’t give a shit.

They use the gym and steal the towels. (God knows for what, the towels are the size of a small scarf.) And suddenly property management found themselves having to replace the towels at an increase of 250%.

So…they eliminated complimentary towels. And I started bringing in my ugly Sea World beach towels from ten years ago.

But all that changed last week.

Suddenly we have towels again. (Apparently management has estimated that part-time temps make up just 11% of our complex’s workforce. (Down from 37% six months ago.)

So, I can’t tell you everything is going to be okay. But, for now, as long as my ratty old “Shipwreck Rapids” Sea World towel stays in the garage, things look promising.

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About the Author

About the Author |
Michael Clarke is a digital marketing consultant and the author of ten business books, inculding Small Business Marketing Made (Stupidly) Easy. He’s made it his mission in life to help small-business owners avoid the numerous stupid marketing mistakes he’s made.
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