Cheating: Recession style

Program Note: Tune in for Randi Kaye’s full report tonight on AC360° at 10 p.m. ET.

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Randi Kaye | Bio
AC360° Correspondent

They used to go to fancy hotels and take their lovers out dining on the company expense account. Not anymore!

This is what you might call “Recession Style Cheating”.

The economy as you already know is in a major slump and I found out that even ‘hanky panky’ is taking a hit. Those cheating spouses can barely afford to cheat anymore, and if their mate wants to find out if they are cheating, they can’t pony up the cash to hire a private investigator in these tough times. A day of domestic surveillance with a private investigator costs about $2500. If you want your husband or wife trailed for a week, that will set you back $15,000.

Who the heck has that kind of money to spend in this economy?

Private Investigator John DiNitale in Allston, Massachusetts, told me lots of suspecting spouses are doing their own legwork by checking blackberries and phone records and car mileage. They can’t afford to have someone professional tail their spouse. And with all that’s going on, those who are cheating are doing it on a budget. They go to the park instead of out for meals or they cook at one of their homes instead of heading out for a fancy dinner on the company expense account. Corporate America is tightening its belt so that’s a no-no now.

And no more visits to the fancy five-star hotels.. now it’s more what our detective calls the “No Tell Motel” and those where you can rent a room by the hour. Couples who are really on a tight budget are even foregoing the hotels and hanging out in their cars. You get my drift?

And on top of it, the economy is putting a damper on divorces. More and more couples are staying together because they can’t afford the lawyer’s fees and the second residence that goes along with divorce. Some are sleeping in separate bedrooms and still sharing childcare duties. Can you say awkward!! The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers says 37 percent of lawyers polled reported fewer divorces during an economic downturn. As the saying goes among Private Investigators, “It’s cheaper to keep her!”