Tis the Season...to Spend Your F^%&in' Money

Anyone familiar with the phrase "laugh now, cry later"? Well, that phrase is going to become the reality for many American families this year. Want to know why?? Christmas shopping! I too was once fooled into investing in the "Christmas Spirit". And of course, it caused me to be rather frivolous with my cash. It wasn't until I snapped out of the capitalistic trance and realized that I didn't need to go broke to prove to my loved ones that I loved them. And that goes for any holiday, not just Christmas. Now, if one has the money, and they want to purchase gifts within their budget, that's fine I supposed. What is not fine is borrowing money now for a gift (that the recipient may not even use) they have to pay for later, and at a interest rate of roughly 15% or more...People often make purchases with credit cards and fool themselves into thinking, "I'll pay it off soon." Well, the numbers say, THEY'RE LIARS. They're going to wind up paying the minimum amount each month, causing the price of their Christmas to double in less than six months. It sounds bizarre when said aloud, but this has become an epidemic. I've watched my family scramble around Christmas time to get their children the stuff they longed for. Only for the stuff to sit in a corner, become inoperable, or just plain unappreciated. And to think some people deprive themselves of sleep, drive in extreme traffic conditions, and some even threaten or harm other shoppers so that they can receive the ultimate deal on Black Friday. Is this not absurd!? I bet every person reading this is either one of those people, or they are closely related to one. I have seen what the "Christmas Spirit" has done to my family, and families all across the states. Don't ignore the numbers...I know people like to think that "their" situation is different than the next guy's, but in all actuality, its not. We have more in common than in difference...and if you're in the ninety percentile of people who do not have majority of the wealth in America, I'm talking to you. With that said, try to have a happy December, without having a horrid January, February, March and so...