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I'm not going to terrorize you with senseless statistics – truth be told the whole “buyer confidence� thing is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Let's get real here and take our heads out of the sand, shall we?

For the average Joe, watching news on the financial status is like watching the weather channel at this point – you only need to know it is going to rain, and we're in a recession. Outside of that, just poke your head outside for a moment to really glimpse what the financial market is doing.

Go on. Go shopping. Spend intelligently though – the reason we're in this mess is frivolous spending. If you were a smart consumer to begin with, then you have nothing to worry about. However, if you wholly entrusted banks and other financial institutions without educating yourself about the fine print, then you absolutely should worry.

I don't trust banks to begin with – remember they're in it to make money, and you are their voluntary victim. Until banks give you the same 12% they make on your money, I will treat them with the same contempt and distrust as any profit-seeking endeavor.

Of course, making a profit doesn't make someone “evil,� but the extent to which financial institutions go to hide the ways they can rip you off certainly does. Don't think for a second that representative on the other side of the desk has your best interests at heart. Sure you will benefit, but remember: the real winner is the guy in the cushy seat the next floor up.

You can find out more about Patricia Mayo and her other projects at Mayobrains.com or ComHacker.org.