I’m almost embarrassed to admit this, but I have just spent the last 45 minutes playing the Bailout Game.  While I think America’s financial crisis is nothing to laugh at, I also think that you have to find humor in things otherwise life is boring!  If you’ve got some extra time to spare, give it a shot!  I got over 22,000 points.  I didn’t bail out Freddie Mac & Fannie Mae, PNC, or Bear Stearns.  Apparently that wasn’t a good choice, as the game told me so.  It was entertaining to say the least!

Walking through Target the other night was certainly interesting. For one; I haven’t been in a Target store for probably over a year.  Secondly, I have never been so enticed to the “deals” as I was last night!  I don’t know what the deal was, but I was having a hard time focusing on the real reason we were in the store: to look for a birthday present for my niece. As I walked the aisles, I couldn’t help but notice many items that I desperately needed, conveniently placed on all the end caps with shiny red stickers proclaiming “75% off!”. I believed it was divine intervention.  Surely I needed some of these things.  After all, they were 75% off.  Why not get them when they are a good deal?  I could use this new plastic cover with rhinestones for my Motorola Razr.  It was only $3.  Great deal!  Into the basket it went.  I saw Clorox Green Works cleaners for 50% off.  As I made a bee line over to the display, Mr. Money touched my shoulder and asked [...]

It’s my niece’s second birthday tomorrow.  While I am having a hard time trying to figure out how that much time has gone by, I’m also stuck with my decision as to what to get her for her birthday.  I went to the store today to buy her some clothes, picked up a few cute outfits, and put them back down.  I had a rush of emotions as questions ran through my head: What if these aren’t the brand her mom likes?  What if she thinks I’m being cheap?  How much should I spend? etc.  I left the store with a birthday card and a decision I’m just going to give her a $20 bill in a card so her mom can buy clothes, put it in a savings account, or do whatever she wants with it. Now I’m feeling guilty; like I’m trying to get out of putting thought in a present.  That’s not the case.  I know she doesn’t need any toys because she just got a ton for Christmas.  I thought about purchasing a savings bond but [...]