Save Karyn

Save Karyn is the name of both a Web site and a book. SaveKaryn.com was the first notable "web panhandling" (or "cyberbegging") site. Save Karyn: One Shopaholic’s Journey to Debt and Back is the book chronicling the events leading up to and through the height of the site's popularity.

The creator of both works is Karyn Bosnak, originally a television producer, raised in the U.S. state of Illinois, who has lived much of her adult life in the greater New York City area. Up until 2000, she had a relatively high-paying job, and wasn't really concerned about going into debt to feed her affection for buying designer-label products. However, when she was laid-off, her credit card debt of over $20,000 started looming larger every month she was unable to find steady employment.

Site beginnings

While musing over different people's relative financial wealth, it occurred to her that if a small number of rich people gave her thousands of dollars each, or even if thousands of average people gave her just a single dollar apiece, she could pay off her debts. In either case, the amount given would be relatively insignificant to the donor, but the aggregate would be quite significant to her. So, in the summer of 2002, mostly out of desperation, she registered the Internet domain name savekaryn.com, and launched a site blatantly asking for donations.

An early version of the site began with the plea "WANTED: $20,000. CREDIT CARDS ARE BAD. Hello! My name is Karyn, I’m really nice and I’m asking for your help! You see, I have this huge credit card debt and I need $20,000 to pay it off. So if you have an extra buck or two, please send it my way... Together we can banish credit card debt from my life." It was an early example of the candid, matter-of-fact way she would continue to write on the site (and the book). It also echoed the initial plea she had made using craigslist.org.

Bosnak was not the first individual to openly solicit voluntary donations via the Internet; documented examples go back at least as far as 1998. However, she was one of the first to have a clearly defined goal (not just "I want money", but "I want x dollars to pay off my credit card bills"). She was also one of the first to add value to her site, by sharing regular updates as to the progress towards her goal, as well as frequently adding related content.

Growing the site

Bosnak added a number of features to the site, including both ways she was saving money, as well as suggestions of other ways people could save money.

Throughout the summer and latter half of 2002, as word of the site spread, it received ever-growing press coverage, including mentions on CNN, a spot on The Today Show, and articles in various domestic and international newspapers and magazines. The site also attracted numerous Internet detractors and critics, most notably a parody site entitled "Don't Save Karyn."

Many people agree with her contention that her efforts could be more closely compared to a street performer than a panhandler, as her regular candid, and often humorous, writings on her site (continued in her book) provided an entertainment value that was unmatched by other solicitation sites.

The site after the goal was reached

Once she had paid off her debts, as promised, she stopped accepting donations, and instead added links to other sites belonging to other people with specific needs.

The book

The book chronicling her site's success has been very popular, and has already been translated into Dutch, Mandarin, German, Japanese, Thai, Russian, Korean and Croatian. With the proceeds from the book, she donated the amount of the original debt to an unspecified charity.

The aftermath

As discussed near the end of the book, in 2003 Bosnak signed a deal with a Sony subsidiary for the rights to a movie chronicling her rise to fame. As of 2008, no movie has been produced.

20 Times a Lady: A Novel

Bosnak's first novel, 20 Times a Lady: A Novel, was published in 2006. Library Journal gave it a starred review and called it "absolutely hilarious," saying, "Bosnak writes with a keen eye for comedy." New Line Cinema bought the movie rights; a feature film is currently in development.

External links

• The current site
• The original site
• Article on Karyn and Cyberbegging
• A news article covering the story beginning to May 2004
• Karyn Bosnak at IMDb