News

The U.S. economy may be shot, but the country's supply of creativity and entrepreneurship seems to have survived. A Chicago restaurant called The Fifty/50 announced last week that it would offer 50 per cent discounts to employees of American International Group Inc. and Lehman Brothers.

This week, the restaurant is offering free shots of alcohol to homeowners who have been affected by the mortgage crisis.

"The main reason we opened up The Fifty/50 is so that people could have a place to relax and enjoy themselves in good times and bad," said Scott Weiner, co-owner of The Fifty/50. "We want to do our part to help people take a load off, especially during hard times."

The restaurant is offering half-price deals plus a complimentary shot to anyone whose home has been foreclosed on in the past year. To get it, customers must bring in a copy of the foreclosure documents.

The New York Times reported yesterday that people have begun raffling off their homes as a way to sell them in the current market.

With few buyers willing or able to shell out big bucks for a home, sellers are instead offering $100 raffle tickets to as many people as they can, a piecemeal approach to covering their costs.

Websites such as howtowinmyhouse.com and usahomeraffle.com have also been started to promote such endeavours across the country.