In other efforts to cut costs, the Postal Service has closed or consolidated dozens of mail-processing plants and relocated or cut hours at many post offices.

WSJ: U.S. Postal Service to Cut Saturday Mail

Earlier this year Granite set up an Internet site and bought a cheque-scanning machine to cut processing costs and help with marketing.

ECONOMIST: Small banks in America

And the passage of the Dodd-Frank Act cut in half the processing fees banks can charge merchants, So the profits have to come from somewhere.

FORBES: Debit Card Fees: There's A Pony In There

JCO, the company that operates the uranium-processing plant at Tokaimura, had quietly compiled a manual that encouraged workers to cut corners, quite illegally, to reduce costs.

ECONOMIST: All over in a flash

Jobs in the private sector rose by 114, 000 in July according to Automatic Data Processing Inc but the news may be overshadowed by figures that show job cut announcements in July reached a 16-month high.

FORBES: Job Cut Announcements Hit 16-Month High, California And New Jersey Lead Cuts