Small business owners more miserable

Small business owners have lost even more confidence in the economy, according to a survey released Monday by Discover Financial Services.

The survey, conducted this month by Rassmussen Reports, shows that 73% of small business owners are taking home less pay than they did previously. That's an increase over June, when 69% said they were paying themselves less.

Forty-five percent of owners surveyed said economic conditions for their businesses had worsened over the last month. That's a slight increase from June, when 43% said conditions had worsened.

The Discover survey is based on responses from 750 small business owners nationwide.

-- Sharon Bernstein