One in Ten Americans Is a Shopaholic, Says Survey

A new survey shows that over one in ten Americans — 11 percent, to be exact — consider themselves to be shopaholics. This is no surprise, particularly considering the survey was done by CouponCabin.com, a website that lures people into buying things they probably don't need by offering temporary discounts:

A new CouponCabin.com survey reveals that 15 percent of U.S. adults report their shopping habits have put them in debt, with 20 percent of saying the most amount of shopping debt they've been in exceeds $5,000 [sic]. Two-in-five (41 percent) said at their peak, they've been in more than $1,000 of shopping debt. This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of CouponCabin.com from May 14th – 16th, 2013, among 2,052 U.S. adults ages 18 and older.

What's more, online shopping is much more addictive than hauling one's ass to a store and going through the rigmarole of actually paying for something in person.

Sure, this survey's sample group probably skewed towards more Internet-savvy shoppers, but it's true that the web often makes it way too easy to shop. In fact, I just bought a new pair of white jeans while writing this. A quick roundup from Cut staffers reveals similarly shameful behavior. A list of our most recent online impulse purchases:

Sally: I last bought a Phillip Lim dress, because Diana told me to. I defense shop often, like if there's only one size left — I'll just panic and buy.

Diana: I bought Asos flats from Rebecca's wedding slideshow. So it's her fault, really.

Maureen: I drunkenly placed a Seamless web order and then fell asleep and missed it. The delivery man left it by my door and I found it in the morning.

Emily: From Amazon — A pastry brush, a pitcher, and a fire extinguisher.

Kurt: I bought six Michael Bastian x Uniqlo polos. Because ... why buy one? I was also unsure which one I wanted, but the other problem is that I never return things.

Stella: A nut milk bag, on Amazon the other night.

The truth is, most of the shopping decisions we make are impulsive, and many of us constantly crave that jolt of satisfaction that comes with placing an order. In fact, maybe the real reason why Buzz Bissinger's recent GQ confessional was so harrowing is that we could all see a little bit of ourselves in his story. Or ... maybe we're even jealous.

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FreedomPop to Bring Free Mobile Broadband to Poorest Americans

Alex Fitzpatrick2013-03-25 17:04:40 -0400

FreedomPop, a company offering free and reduced-price wireless broadband Internet connections and equipment, has announced a new partnership with non-profit Connect2Compete to offer up to 1GB of free data to low-income families in cities across the country.

Anyone who lives in a zip code where average income is $35,000 or less is welcome to apply for the service, which requires the purchase of a discounted mobile or home connectivity device, ranging in price from $20 to $59. Connect2Compete previously offered reduced Internet plans only to families with students that qualify for free or reduced-cost school lunches.

"FreedomPop was founded on the belief that the Internet is a right, not a privilege and we have a shared objective with Connect2Compete to ensure more Americans have free access to it,” said Stephen Stokols, FreedomPop CEO, in a statement. "We’re excited to partner with Connect2Compete to leverage our disruptive free model to help bridge the digital divide for low-income communities."

Approximately 19 million Americans still lack access to broadband Internet per the Federal Communications Commission's data, making it difficult for them to keep up in an increasingly connected global marketplace. The problem comes in two primary categories: Low-income city residents who can't afford access and rural citizens who exist outside the reach of broadband infrastructure. Stokols told Mashable the FreedomPop/Connect2Compete partnership will be focused on the former.

One GB of data a month won't sustain heavy use, but it may compliment connection-seeking trips to schools, libraries or restaurants for those who apply for the service. Families in more than 30 markets will get access to the FreedomPop/Connect2Compete Internet package over the next four weeks. FreedomPop has also announced a commitment to get 1 million disconnected families online by the end of the year.

FreedomPop's main business model takes a freemium approach by offering cheap equipment and a free 500MB per month plan to any customer within its city-focused coverage map. Customers who require more bandwidth can up the plan to $17.99 per month for 1GB or choose from other payment structures. Given those rates, it's more suited for sporadic Internet users or use as a backup connectivity plan than as a primary means of connection.

For now, FreedomPop operates on Clearwire's 4G network, but the company is planning on switching over to Sprint later this year, given the regulatory hurdles facing Clearwire. Can FreedomPop help get lower-income Americans connected to the Internet at broadband speeds? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Image via iStockphoto, Nikada

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