11 Surprising Trends In A Bad Economy

Taken from here.
What are the signs of a sinking economy? There are obvious symptoms of such a downturn -- decreased consumer confidence, lower demand and rising unemployment.

But we looked at other strange correlations between bad times and peoples' behavior.

Less drunk driving

A recently released Center for Disease Control and Prevention study found that incidences of drunk driving hit a 20 year low last year. The report is based off a 2010 telephone survey of about 210,000 Americans, and found that those that admitted to drunk driving had dropped 30% in the last five years.

Despite the decrease in drunk driving, some studies show people are still imbibing heavily.

CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden offered one explanation for the discrepancy - more people are choosing to drink at home. That could be due to cash-strapped Americans becoming reluctant to drink at restaurants or hop bars because of the weak economy.

Despite the decrease noted in this survey, drunk driving is still a serious issue - it accounts for one third of all crash deaths in the U.S, according to the CDC.

More candy

The first things that go out the window when one's bank account suffers or there's a looming recession are items of unnecessary indulgence. But that doesn't hold for everyone's favorite guilty pleasure - sweets.

In the midst of the crisis in 2008, candy sales went up 2.2% nationwide, according to the National Confectioners Association.

Cadbury reported a 30% increase in profits in 2008, Nestle saw a 10.9% jump, and Hersey - which had struggled throughout 2008, had its fourth quarter profits rise too.

More long distance dating

Desperate times call for desperate measures - and sometimes that means leaving a loved one or significant other behind.

A survey found that 18.2% of workers relocated for a job in the second quarter of 2009, a hefty increase from 11.4% in 2008. The implications of relocation are most significant for working couples - and many are willing to choose temporary or long-term separation in order to pursue careers and financial stability, the Wall Street Journal reported.

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