Kiplinger’s: Ten Quirky Economic Indicators

From more first dates and goopier eyelashes to less dry cleaning and packed theaters, Kiplinger’s has come up with 10 Quirky Economic Indicators and the reasons for choosing them.

Here’s a sampling:

• Dry Cleaning Pickups Are Down: The International Drycleaning and Laundry Institute is hearing gripes from many of its 5,000 members. Because of the poor economy, customers are visiting less frequently and leaving clothes longer.

• More First Dates: Misery loves company. In the fourth quarter of 2008, online dating service Match.com was its busiest in seven years. Match.com believes people are looking for someone with whom they can forget about money troubles—or share the pain.

• Goopier Eyelashes: You’ve got that recession look in your eye. Total eye-makeup sales at supermarkets and drugstores were up 8.5% in the one-year period that ended on March 22. In that period, more than $260 million was spent on eye makeup—in particular, eyeliner was up 9% and mascara almost 13%, the industry says.

• Packed Theaters: When times get tough, people go to the movies. Box-office sales have increased in all of the last five recession years. According to the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), the number of movie tickets sold in the first quarter of 2009 increased more than 9% from last year.

Here’s the link for the full list.