The recession has affected many Americans over the last couple of years. However, some workers in the music industry believe you can get a great deal from such a difficult situation. Rick Stone, a jazz guitarist and teacher from Brooklyn, N.Y., and Dan Schrader, a guitar technician at Sam Ash Music Stores in East Garden City, N.Y., explain their thoughts and feelings of how the recession has affected their work. (NNL video by Brian Anderson)

Musicians, along with business people in the music industry, have watched as the recession turned their art form into a luxury. With the economy causing people to save their money for necessities, fewer U.S. citizens are picking up a musical instrument each year. 

Thrift stores seem to contribute to the economic and environmental well-being of a community as a whole. Thrift store employees and shoppers see the benefits of buying resale items. Not only are they saving money, but the profit from their sales goes to funding a charity or organization supported by the thrift shop. (NNL video by Melanie Yates.)

Thrift stores are among the few types of businesses that are actually thriving as a result of the recession. The allure of low prices for quality items is a perfect fit for economical shoppers. According to a study conducted by The Association of Resale Professionals (NARTS), 71.4 percent of thrift stores increased their total sales from 2008 to 2009.