Financial Education in the Workplace

On August 16th, a persuasive online article appeared about the harmful effects that financial stress has in the workplace. Jeffrey Strain, who authors this website, cites research that shows greatly decreased efficiency and effectiveness in financially stressed workers. He argues that companies would do well to promote healthier lifestyles in their employees by offering financial… Continue reading Financial Education in the Workplace

Extreme Overshopping Leads To Legal Troubles

Lisa Walker, 42, of New York City, more commonly known as Antoinette Millard, charged nearly a million dollars of goods on her no-limit American Express card during a three-month period in 2004. The former investment banker, who quit her job and pretended to be a Saudi Princess, tried to buy her way into high society.… Continue reading Extreme Overshopping Leads To Legal Troubles

Overshopping Goes Increasingly Global

Within the past few years, research and anecdotal reports of compulsive buying in Australia, Canada, China, England, France, Germany, Korea, India, Ireland, Slovakia, and Spain have been published. Is overshopping a new phenomenon in these countries? Is it on the rise? While there’s probably insufficient historical data to answer the first question, preliminary evidence suggests… Continue reading Overshopping Goes Increasingly Global

Recommended Reading: Give It Up! My Year of Learning to Live Better with Less By Mary Carlomagno (New York: Harper Collins, 2006)

Each month, for a year, Carlomagno chose to do without one of her favorite things: alcohol one month, shopping another, cell phones, dining out, elevators, multi-tasking, television, taxis, coffee, chocolate. Her discoveries and observations, which she shares in an easy, anecdotal style, confirm her book’s title: we can indeed live better by living with less.… Continue reading Recommended Reading: Give It Up! My Year of Learning to Live Better with Less By Mary Carlomagno (New York: Harper Collins, 2006)

Consumer Monster Mockumentary

Canadian filmmaker Jeremy Lutter has nearly finished shooting Not For$ale, a mockumentary about overconsumption. Styled after Michael Moore’s work, the film follows the picaresque journey of a Cookie Monsterish yellow puppet. At home in Canada, he meets a variety of people who teach him about the growing movement to scale back our consumption. His addiction… Continue reading Consumer Monster Mockumentary