Economic Crisis, Recessions, and Stimulus Packages

The coping mechanisms just might be the most interesting by-product of the "tight wad" enduring an economic recession.

A resident at 48 Commonwealth Ave. in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood paid $300,000 in June for one outdoor, uncovered parking space, according to the listing agent.

Texas accountant Randy Reeves, 50, paid $1,500 cash in April for the dentist's mold of the upper and lower teeth of Tiny Tim, which the late singer had given to the seller.

In May, the University of Washington ran a two-month campaign of compassion to help out people hurt by the downturn in the economy. Fans of UW's football team who lost their jobs or are otherwise financially unable to renew their Huskies' season tickets can tap into a special philanthropic fund. A donor's $500 tax-deductible gift to "Dawgs Supporting Dawgs" would permit a hard-hit fan to maintain his place on the priority season-ticket list (though this year's seats would be in an inferior location).

And you gotta know the economy has hit a real low when man's best friend turns to marijuana.

"Heyyyy, Like 'Arf-Arf,' Man": Nestor Waddell had to rush his 11-year-old Labrador mix, Jack, to the vet in May when he started acting strange during a walk, which had taken him into some bushes. The vet concluded that Jack had discovered and devoured some dry, harvested marijuana. According to Waddell, "(Jack's) eyes were kind of glossed over. ... When he was trying to walk, he was looking at his paw, and then looking at the ground and then trying to get his paw to reach the ground, but was unsuccessful."