More temptations, same resources...

The complaint is heard all over the world. Cost of living is going through the roof and there is no end to the trend. Europeans are blaming it on the introduction of the Euro, Americans on the weakness of the Dollar, and I think both are mostly wrong; here's how.

I've already discussed the overabundance of choices assailing us from all sides. Options are multiple and like most plagues, they keep on procreating. That plethora of alternatives is often causing a paralysis in our decision process, but remain very tempting, nonetheless. It's clear that the number of ways we can spend our hard-earned dollars has exploded in the past year. The sneaky side of this phenomenon has taken the appearance of “recurring charges;” all these pesky payments that return month after month to pay for cable or satellite TV, internet, cell phone, satellite radio, computer anti-virus, gym dues, etc. Those little rivulets end up becoming a devastating torrent of expenses that's setting us back and making us feel that we are in this rotating cage/treadmill and can't make it. I'm not even talking about foodstuff, like fruits that aren't local, not in season or wines that are nifty and so-special micro-brews.

We all want quality, some tiny luxury, something a bit special and out of the ordinary, yet that lifestyle is taking us to the poorhouse or at the very least to the cleaner. We also all have to many clothes, too many toys and too many services that we don't really need and many times don't even remember we own. So here we have it; on one end that tantalizing, endless offer of better goods and services and on the opposite side, revenues that are not increasing accordingly. A form of torture? You bet, but totally self-imposed...