Money to Burn

While the recession has battered the US stock market and spurred Congress to dole out cash, the ultrarich continue to spend money like there’s no tomorrow. “When times get tough, the smart spend money,” one particularly clueless-sounding events planner tells The New York Times. “Short of our country going on food stamps, I don’t think we’re doing anything differently.” It’s a trend that the national media has helpfully been tracking for us plebs: Some people are having trouble getting their private jets kitted out, multiple kids are increasingly seen as a status symbol, and brands like Bottega Veneta and Coach continue to flourish and expand (though the more accessible-luxury Coach has seen its stock price tumble). Still, for everyone else, the Los Angeles Times offers a guide to haggling more effectively.