Recession Turns Tooth Fairy Cheap

The Tooth Fairy has been hit by the recession. Kids are getting an average of 40 cents less under their pillows this year compared to last year, according to a recent survey by Visa. The new going rate: $2.60, though the amount varies according to region. Children in the West get a whopping $2.80 on average, while those in the East must make do with $2.10. How are real children affected by this turn of events? One fourth-grader hadn't noticed, the Denver Post reports. "But," she says, "I haven't lost a tooth for a while." (Check out some hilarious Tooth Fairy correspondence here and here.)