This image was lost some time after publication.

Won't it be strange when the media stops pointing out that every single element of our lives is being dictated by the bad economy and joblessness, and fear of the economy worsening and of becoming jobless? Judging by the latest round of gloomy statistics, that won't be the case for at least a year, so in the meantime, have you heard? Divorce, once the great equalizer, is now a fancy luxury purchase that people can't afford!

"To some extent, I feel like I am selling a luxury good," reflects divorce lawyer Dan Clements. "Couples realize that even if they break even on a house sale, there are no additional funds to move into a new place and buy that new couch." In which case, thank goodness for a bit of free advertising, right Dan?

While many couples for whom divorce is an unattainable indulgence are said to be living separately—and awkwardly—under the same roof, the recession is also being cast in the role of the child who runs away from home to make mommy and daddy realize how much they love each other: Marriage counselor Bonnie Weil is pleased that some would-be divorcers "are going to be forced to try what they should have tried before—making the marriage work."

Which is all very well and good, except it would be rather embarrassing if people suspected you were making a go of it not for the sake of the kids, but for the sake of your bank balance—something that Tinsley Mortimer, who is nothing if not image-conscious, ought to carefully consider!

Divorce is the latest recession casualty: married couples can't afford to separate [NYDN]