Shopaholic Reform: Old Habits Die Hard

Monday, February 1

Old Habits Die Hard

I rarely ever make New Year's Resolutions, mostly because I know the chances of me keeping them are slim to none, I mean if I haven't manged to make some desired change before January 1st...why would I start following it just because it's a new year? Anyways, this year was different...I made a resolution out of need, one of which has become the subject of this blog. To STOP spending money needlessly, thereby paying down some debt, saving some money AND breaking my pattern of being a mindless consumer...something that's embedded in our society. We need more, more, more...why?

Sounds easy enough right? Yeah that's what I thought. Sadly, I failed 29 days into the new year, when I fell victim to a Havaiana boutique on RueLaLa. Sigh. I'm a sucker for a sale...I mean two pairs of flip flops for $20 ($29.95 with shipping)! I couldn't resist.

So here's the deal, I realized that I much like a smoker trying to kick their habit, I cannot stop shopping cold turkey. So instead of resolving to stop shopping...I figured tracking how much I'm spending, where I'm spending it and what I'm spending on, while posting it on here for the world (so really my friends and family to see) I might be able to curb what I'm spending more realistically.

So let's lay out a couple of ground rules:

I will not report my monthly bills (I don't think you need to know when I pay my rent or car payment)
I will not report copays for dr. visits or medication costs (again, not really important)
I will not report an itemized list for groceries (WAY too time consuming and I mean a girl's gotta eat!)
I reserve the right to amend/add rules as I see fit (I mean this is my blog)

We'll see how it goes.

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Something to Chew On...

The downside to Globalization

1. “The general complaint about globalization is that it has made the rich richer while making the non-rich poorer. It is wonderful for managers and investors, but hell on workers and nature.”¹

2. Multinational corporations are accused of social injustice, unfair working conditions (including slave labor wages and poor living and working conditions), as well as a lack of concern for the environment, mismanagement of natural resources, and ecological damage.

3. Multinational corporations which were previously restricted to commercial activities are increasingly influencing political decisions. Many think there is a threat of corporations ruling the world because they are gaining power due to globalization.

4. Opponents say globalization makes it easier for rich companies to act with less accountability. They also claim that countries’ individual cultures are becoming overpowered by Americanization.

5. Anti-globalists also claim that globalization is not working for the majority of the world. During the most recent period of rapid growth in global trade and investment, 1960 to 1998, inequality worsened both internationally and within countries. The UN Development Program reports that the richest 20 percent of the world's population consume 86 percent of the world's resources, while the poorest 80 percent consume just 14 percent.

6. Some experts think that globalization is also leading to the incursion of communicable diseases. Deadly diseases like HIV/AIDS are being spread by travelers to the remotest corners of the globe.

7. Globalization has led to exploitation of labor. Prisoners and child workers are used to work in inhumane conditions. Safety standards are ignored to produce cheap goods. There is also an increase in human trafficking.

8. Social welfare schemes or “safety nets” are under great pressure in developed countries because of deficits and other economic ramifications of globalization.

As manufacturing continues to decline, so does our ability to innovate. In the long term, this means fewer well-paid jobs, lower productivity, declining wages, declining living standards and low economic growth. Globalization is a big part of this decline and will affect all jobs and all sectors of the economy. From the point of view of multinational corporations and Wall Street investors, globalization is probably viewed as a wonderful phenomenon with many opportunities. But from the point of view of American manufacturers, manufacturing workers, the middle class, professional service workers and overall economic growth, I think the disadvantages far out weigh the advantages.

-Mike Collins, The Pros and Cons of Globalization (2010)