Save Karyn: One Shopaholic's Journey to Debt and Back Book

I had a hard time with this one. The premises is that the author moves to NYC from Chicago, runs up 20 grand in credit card debt, and then creates a website (savekaryn) asking for donations to help her pay it. In the end, she did get about $13,000 from random people who sent her money. She also starts selling some of her things on ebay, and contributes her own money as well. She found herself between a rock and a hard place when she lost her job as a producer after 9/11, and from what it sounds like, the website was pretty funny and clever. She was featured in tons of newspapers and all the tv shows, and eventually wrote this book.

Yes, the book was funny at times (although I found several typos), and Karyn seems like a decent person...but come on! I guess I don't have a lot of pity for people who can't manage their finances, especially when they're buying Prada purses, Burberry jackets and getting personal trainers at the gym (claiming these were ALL emergencies). She did get a lot of hate mail from her site as well, and I can understand that. Some people were really upset that she was asking for money within a year after 9/11, and I guess I felt the same as I was reading. (On a side note, I did read on her website that since this experience she has donated all of the money given to her to charity.) I do think she learned her lesson, and it was a humbling experience for her, but I mostly found myself cringing - at her stupidity and irresponsibility.