By Jean Chatzky

Are we raising a generation of spoiled children? As a mother, it’s a question I ask myself often, and a topic I’ve debated more than a few times with friends. 

I’ve seen teenagers with cell phones so high tech I can’t begin to understand them, and cars twice as nice as mine.  The new iPhone has become the ultimate status symbol for not just the twenty-something crowd, but for tweens and teenagers as well.

By Jean Chatzky

For months we’ve been hearing that consumers are cutting back.  Budgeting, if not quite all the rage, is at least no longer considered uncool, and we’re all in the same boat when it comes to passing on pricey dinners out and that second $9 cocktail.

By Jean Chatzky

Did you ever wonder what, exactly, goes into your personal happiness?  Is it your health, your reflection in the mirror, your network of friends?

By Jean Chatzky

It’s no surprise that this year’s holiday shopping season is coming sooner, rather than later.  Retailers have started prepping for big promotions and sales, and I’ve already gotten at least a dozen emails about the season’s hottest toys and video games.  Chances are, your kids are at least mentally getting their wish lists together, and those new items won’t be left off.

By Jean Chatzky

In recent years the average family of four has spent over $5,300 on food, nearly $3,000 on gifts, $2,100 on clothing, and $3,000 on recreation. That's all well and good when you're spending money that you have, but what about if you’re watching your pennies because of a lay-off or a plummeting 401(k) balance?

By Jean Chatzky

In the past, I’ve talked a lot about the anxiety that money causes.  I even devoted an entire chapter of my most recent book, Make Money, Not Excuses, to helping you overcome a fear of math and number crunching.

By Jean Chatzky

By Jean Chatzky

At a time when we’re all pinching pennies, would you be surprised to learn that the pile of mail on your kitchen counter or the baskets of paperwork on your desk might be costing you more than the daily cup of coffee you gave up weeks ago?

By Jean Chatzky

You’re stressed. How do I know? Because my mailbox is overflowing with e-mails from people who are overwhelmed. For some, it’s the combination of high gas prices and a forty-minute drive to work. Others have had their hours—and their paychecks—cut back. And many are just sick of seeing higher prices every time they walk into a grocery store.

By Jean Chatzky

There’s no doubt this recession is having a big impact on consumers, and as a result, they’re cutting back on spending and saving more.  U.S. household debt, which has been growing steadily since the Federal Reserve began tracking it in 1952, declined for the first time in the third quarter of 2008.  In the same quarter, U.S. consumer spending growth declined for the first time in 17 years.