Canadian Personal Finance Blog

That’s sort of a paraphrase from the latest George Carlin book, but it is certainly what our society and certainly the retail stores we frequent want us to think. If you don’t spend all your money at Christmas, you are a cheapskate or a communist. The South Park episode where Mr. Hanky teaches the true meaning of Christmas (buy presents), really does sum up what the owners of Wal-Mart hope will happen.

Bankrupting yourself for Christmas, or on the Boxing Day sales does not help you. If you worked out and got in shape all summer and then for December ate as much crap, and put on 25 pounds, would you be ahead? Nope, and the same is true for your Fiscal Planning (unless you planned to splurge a huge amount of cash that you saved, then I guess it’s ok (no, it’s not, I am being facetious)). Keep living to your plan, it may not be fun, but in the spring when you have money, you’ll be happier for it.

Oh, and if you feel you have to blow large amounts of ca$h, please drop some in the Salvation Army kettle (evidently they are only half way to their goal in Ontario, and there is only 3 days left in their canvassing). Give to a homeless shelter, give to your Church, or keep the money and give it later. Give of yourself, don’t dig a financial hole that will make you Grinchy in the new year!

–C8j