- Share This Post
- Pin It
- 0
-
Sparkle (0)
HearthSong is having an incredible sale. Lands End has free shipping. Amazon knows just what I love to read. Sephora can make me beautiful and send me free samples, too. Airlines are begging me to fly and hotels are almost willing to pay me to stay.
Every penny I have is allocated before my automatic deposit hits my account.
There's a world of grief and injustice and need out there. Petitions to be signed, representatives to call, money to donate--every little bit helps--to save, well, everything and everybody. I'm in the bleeding heart, liberal, progressive category so I get a lot of these. (And at one time I've probably given money to almost all of them--five bucks counts as every little bit helps, right?.)
Did I mention every penny I have is allocated?
I used to rather enjoy going through the various catalogues. Pretty stuff. Bargains. Things the grandkids would love. (It's a nice thing to surprise them on no occasion whatsoever other than they are wonderful and I'm alive to apprciate it.) New York's Museum of Modern Art has beautiful contemporary lamps and furniture that would just so look good at my house. And some incredibly affordable things like an aluminum case for your business cards. Sleek, spophisticated, and under $10.00
I'm not a spendaholic, or at least not to into the cringing every time the phone rings place. Just at that oh, damn, did I really spend that much? Guess we eat at home this weekend.
Besides looking at pretty things was a nice break in the day. (Yes, I was reading them at work--OK?) I liked to imagine hanging the lovely silk streamer fairy garden over my bed. Or having the Victorian dollhouse on the pretense the visiting kids would just love it. Some of them have sinks with tiny faucets that really turn. And there's one with a nanny pushing an ACTUAL miniature pram.
It was a lovely let's pretend that occasionally led to hauling out that debit card.
Now? I just feel poor. A little deprived. Occasionally what the hell and why not buy it--I'm already broke.
The appeals make me feel guilty. Very very guilty. I have a roof over my head, food in my kitchen, and I'm not dodging bullets, bombs, terrorists, deadly microbes.... And I'm not trying to be funny. I KNOW I have it better than 90% of the world.
Which doesn't change the fact that my creditors (the power company, the water company, the mortgage folks are all counting on me).
I have a new BFF (well, BFF at least until the economy turns around). My delete key.
My daily routine. Scroll down "incoming" and hit delete, delete, delete. Away goes 60% off anything, forget the free shipping. What's in the box doesn't come free.
Delete. Away go the multitude of appeals, the view with alarms, and the calls to action.
I have discovered that if I need something, I can find it. online and even at the best price and sometimes free shipping to boot.
Want to know something? I know Google and I know where all my favorite sources are. If I'm in the mood to view with alarm or call my Congressperson (Lois Capps, BTW, and she's pretty wonderful), I CAN DO THAT.
And you know, I have an idea what the needs are, where I can give--and when there's no money, I know the Warming Shelter for Homeless People can always use a volunteer, and so can a lot of other places around me. No problem there. And the Food Pantry appreciates a can of beans.
The delete key deletes more than mail.
It deletes envy, overwhelming guilt, takes out some stress, and may even help to keep me solvent this holiday season.
Yeah, the delete key. My new BFF.
A happy, sane, and solvent holiday to all.
