Overcoming Overspending

Mellan, herself a recovering overspender, has been a psychotherapist specializing in money conflict resolution for almost two decades. Here she states her conviction that overspending is a societal addiction in the U.S. and cites sobering statistics: Americans took on $4.5 trillion in household debt between 1990 and 1994; in 1994, we charged $701 billion on credit cards. Pointing out that each individual's attitude toward money is established in childhood and adolescence, she offers practical suggestions for curbing the self-destructive behavior of either overspending or miserliness. While self-help groups such as Debtors Anonymous and Consumer Credit Counseling Services can help some people, Mellan feels that spouses or partners can be of the greatest assistance. The book, written with freelancer Christie, is never preachy and is enormously useful. (Nov.)