I saw a request for something new

Context
I belong to an e-mail list called "Help a Reporter Out" (HARO), which is a place people can go to request help with research. Today one of the requests was for tips for people to manage their money, but the requester wanted new material, not the usual "make a budget," "cut up your credit card"-type of suggestions. I can't print the actual request here, because one of the five rules of HARO is: "You MAY forward queries to friends, but DO NOT post them on blogs or anywhere on the web."

Commentary
HARO is an interesting list. I like it because I feel like it keeps me in touch with current social trends, but it's not for everyone. For one thing, media-ready discourse seems to be valued more highly than verifiable information. This leads to requests along the lines of, "I need a source to discuss the link between vaccines and autism." There is, of course, no clinical evidence for such a link, but HARO has no objection to you looking for people to talk about it anyway.

Also, the emphasis on currency that I treasure is likely what drives requests like the one I saw today. The journalist in question seems to be saying, "Yes, the 'how to manage your money' angle may appear to have been done to death, but I'm sure there's some set of tips out there that will give it new life."

This may be so, and far be it for me to deprive the world of important information, but I can't help but think "new is not necessarily better." As far as I know, two of the best ways to manage your money are to keep a budget and cut up your credit card. At least, that's what worked for me and my husband about 18 years ago when we decided to start getting serious about this stuff. OK, we didn't cut up the credit cards. We just stopped using them.

So if we're not looking for something new because it works better, why are we? My cynically ironic answer? Money. It's hard to make a buck off suggesting financial discipline and sacrifice. Instead, "experts" assert that they have special tricks and secret knowledge and if you just shell out a little bit to learn them, you'll profit from the experience. Well, someone will profit.

The same thing happens in the weight-loss industry. This article appeared in the USA Weekend magazine I read yesterday. The author, with a straight face, blames the conventional wisdom of eating less and exercising more for the fact that obesity is spreading in the U.S. He then suggests his particular set of new tricks and lets you know you can learn more about them by purchasing his $20.00 book. Because what possible profit could there be in following the conventional steps to lose weight?

What did you see today?