Some Positive Financial News For A Change

ATLANTA -- With some surprisingly positive news, consumer spending is up for the second month in a row -- 0.2 percent; and sales of existing and new homes are up 5 percent.

The question is, do you feel things are improving?

What Texan Floyd Brown is trying to do isn't easy -- capture the essence of the landmark -- the lunch spot that is The Varsity. A cross section of America forms a constant snaggled line, with bellies rumbling.

11Alive's Jaye Watson asked diners to weigh in on the few new bright spots in the economy.

"I think the financial end of it is coming back," said one patron.

"The people I talk to some are struggling, some aren't," another said. "And I think it depends what industry they're in."

The effects of the recession are very personal -- just ask the Geist family, trying to swing spring break on a budget.

"Like driving 17 hours with four kids in five years from Indianapolis to Marco Island," another person said.

For now, the new improved numbers are just that.

"Before people can start feeling good again, we're looking at the middle of 2010," said Emory University professor Dr. Ray Hill.

That was the bad news, now the good news from Hill.

"That means maybe the economy has either stopped its slide or it's not sliding as fast," said Hill.

He also said consumer confidence numbers are up; credit is loosening, meaning banks will start lending more again -- and the big news: that 5 percent jump in new home sales is a good strong sign for a town like Atlanta where housing was king.

"No job gets created when I sell my existing home to you, but when housing starts up, that means people are going to be added to the workforce and we're going to see some jobs getting created," Hill said.

So the bottom line is this -- those numbers are a good sign, but we're not going to feel any different, any better -- yet.

Hill says unemployment numbers will go higher before leveling off.