Save Karyn
One Shopaholic's Journey to Debt and Back
by Karyn Bosnak
Overview
From the publisher
Drowning in $20,000 of credit card debt, shopaholic Karyn Bosnak asked strangers for money online -- and it worked!
What would you do if you owed $20,000? Would you: A) not tell your parents? B) start your own website that asked for money without apology? or C) stop coloring your hair, getting pedicures, and buying Gucci? If you were Karyn Bosnak, you'd do all three.
Karyn started a funny yet honest website, www.savekaryn.com, on which she asked for donations to help her get out of debt. Karyn received e-mails from people all over the world, either confessing their own debt-ridden lives, or criticizing hers. But after four months of Internet panhandling and selling her prized possessions on eBay, her debt was gone!
In Save Karyn: One Shopaholic's Journey to Debt and Back, Karyn details the bumpy road her financial -- and personal -- life has traveled to get her where she is today: happy, grateful, and completely debt-free. In this charming cautionary tale, Karyn chronicles her glamorous rise, her embarrassing fall, and how the kindness of strangers in cyberia really can make a difference.
My thoughts
Forget it. I'm not an impartial reader! I gave Karyn a dollar when she was struggling!
Yes, I admit it! I read a newspaper article about Karyn several years ago in an Australian newspaper. I figured if this gal could get her story told half way around the world, I could spare a dollar to help her get out of debt! A co-worker added her dollar to the pot as well, thus we are part of Karyn's success! Yea us! :-)
How could you not love Karyn? She wrote so honestly of her dilemma, accepting all the blame herself, was willing to take the steps to change her spending habits, and did it all on-line where we all could watch her progress! What courage! What innovation!
From time to time my co-worker and I check Karyn's website to see what she's up to now. I was delighted to discover that she has a book out, and I ordered two copies immediately! I am writing this as I've just started reading but already it's a lively and fun book and I can't wait to get back to it as soon as I get this segment of my website posted! :-)
Favorite Passage
"Hi! I'd like to make an appointment for a single process, a full head of highlights and a haircut for this Saturday," I said. Since my hair is brown (I think), colorists have to single process the roots to bump it up a notch to a lighter brown so it's not so dark. Then they give me blonde highlights on top of that. Doing this makes it look less "skunky".
"Yes, no problem. Do you have anyone particular that you'd like the color or cut with?" she asked.
"No, not really. I'm new to the city," I said.
"Okay, I have MIchelle open at ten A.M. for the color, and David open at noon for the cut. Does that sound good?" she asked.
"Yes, that sounds great," I said. "Thank you so much. Oh, by the way, what do your prices start at?"
I don't know what possessed me to ask this question. But this was New York, so I thought I'd better ask.
"Your single process will begin at one hundred dollars, the highlights will begin at two hundred dollars, and your cut will begin around one hundred twenty-five dollars."
Huh? I always got my hair done at the nicest salons in Chicago and it never cost me $400. After tip it would be like $480! That's almost $500! I usually paid about $200 tops. I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to cancel right then for fear of sounding cheap.
"Uh...okay. See you Saturday," I said, hanging up.
