Some people decide by the number on the scale. For others, it’s the recognition that their thighs are rubbing together, their boobs feel like over-cooked matzo balls, and the reluctant realization that their fat jeans are well on the way to becoming their skinny jeans. Monday December 29th, was my day of reckoning. I met three out of my four personal diet determinators,and that was it. No more pretending I could eat what I wanted without consequences. I was looking at the consequences.

It's that time year again where with hearts full of inspiration and hope millions of people sit down and make a list of New Year's Resolutions. We fire up the engines and charge head first into a fresh start, a clean slate, a New Year, and it will be different this time gosh darnnit! However, as usual there is a big ole deja vu sitting just around the bend waiting for us to slip up, fail, and give up once again. Then we try it all over again next year.

With so many people in need, so many problems in the world, how do you pick the things you give to, the people you help? I tend to pick organizatons that I think will do something I approve of with my money: Global Giving, Heifer International and the like. One woman decided to get very specific on her blog and she managed to help raise enough money to allow some friends of hers to avoid foreclosure and stay in their home.

Just a few months back, before it became so ridiculously cold, I bought a gorgeous purple coat in a consignment shop. It was a designer coat, in perfect shape, and I swear it should’ve cost about $1,000. But for $150 I bought what had been someone else's coat, and put some additional dollars in her pocket.Selling used stuff isn't new, but it's the hot thing right now — especially since everyone is worried about their 401(k)s or how to balance out what you spent on holiday gifts without going into debt.

A funny thing happened on the way out of a meeting the other day. I went into the meeting feeling fine and relatively dandy for being a Monday morning in the office and I ended up the meeting, head down, with that feeling of dread in my chest.

So it's come to this: either give carmakers some pocket money to buy them some time or they might just collapse. To help out, the White House is looking at a $15 billion plan that would provide loans — don't worry, it's not free money — to get them into next year. But aside from this longer-term help, the real issue is that they need cash now.

When I heard about this appalling scandal that has cost a lot of people a lot of money recently, I said to myself, "This is why America must come together, to use the power of 'we' and not just 'me.'"

In order to eat healthy during our declining economy, we need to learn to take time to make the most of every dollar we spend on groceries. This can be easier said than done, but it can be done. Taking time to plan is key to your success. Here are a few tips to help you eat (and shop) healthy on a budget... Tip #1 - Take the time to look for deals, use coupons and check sale fliers. The Internet has made this even easier, you can check sales and print coupons right from your computer.

This week I got an email addressed to me at Cool Mom Picks, the shopping blog that I co-founded, and it nearly broke my heart.

Every day seemingly brings new examples of penny wise, pound foolish behavior. I think the steady stream of bad economic news is making us all a little nuts.

Do you know why they put gum, keychains and other small, low-cost items at the checkout counter? So that you'll throw them in your cart at the last minute as an impulse buy. Even though you didn't go into the store planning on buying a 3-pack of ChapStick, it seems like a good idea in the moment, so you do.