By: Lizzie Bundy

Over the past year, most families have been hit hard by the recession and have been trying to adapt by working overtime and pinching pennies.  However, people often forget that it is not only adults who have been affected by this recession, but also teenagers as well.  So, I decided to ask the question: how are teenagers dealing with the recession? 

Senior, Sam Collins said, “I've cut down on eating out with friends.  I have a job at Moe’s, and I've started to work more hours. Every now and then, I model for a few extra bucks.”

Christmas was different this year too.  Many families went on a vacation to get away from the stress at work and home, making the trip their present.  Senior, Cliff Marshall said, “My family went to Hawaii, and we didn't get gifts.  Even my sister, who didn't go, didn't get the number of gifts that she did last year.”

Both Sam and Cliff agreed that their grocery bills have gone down tremendously as well.  “These days we just have to cut back on our eating habits,” said Cliff, who has gotten a job at Puckett’s Grocery in downtown Franklin. “My parents own the place, and we all just help out as much as we can.”

Moreover, teenagers have begun to shop smarter and use their money to the fullest.  For example, instead of getting their hair dyed in a salon, some have begun to use box dyes. Thus, the box hair dye industry profit has gone up, leaving salons with limited customers.

Furthermore, TJ Maxx, a store where one can buy brand names at reasonable prices, just had their best season ever.  TJ Maxx takes market share from retail stores such as Abercrombie and Hollister and sells them at lower prices. Azzien Ramezanifar said, “I’d rather shop somewhere where I can get a brand name shirt for $30 less. I’ve begun to learn the difference between price and quality.”  In fact, last month, the sales of Abercrombie went down 17 percent.

These statistics and reports will hopefully teach teenagers to be more money savvy earlier on.  Ramezanifar said, “It’s just something we have to deal with now and most likely in the future.”