How Much Is Enough?: How much do you need to feel satisfied? This is an interesting question — “what is enough?” that you can think about and consider how it applies to you:

What I want consumers to do every time they head off on a shopping trip is ask themselves this question: How much is enough? If you had an unlimited budget, is there a stopping point for the buying spree? Or does your satisfaction come from the acquisition process?

Liberty Dollars are privately produced money that is backed with silver and gold reserves that has started to gain popularity in the Sacramento, CA area. While the minting of the money itself is not illegal, using the money as circulated money apparently is. The issue is whether the Liberty Dollar is being used a “circulated money” or to “barter” — this distinction will ultimately determine whether it can be used to purchase goods. Here is a news report about the controversy:

There are actually a surprising number of alternative “community currencies” being used in the US.

Things I Wished I Knew When I Started My First Job: When you begin your first job, there are a lot of different issues that need to be learned and navigated. Wisebread lists 5 of these to help you not only survive, but thrive when you first start out.

And for those who need more reading to begin the new week, the following carnivals are up and running: