holidays

We wish you a debt-free Christmas.

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An old friend of mine – call him “Frugalbert Humperdinck” – once riffed on the song “Lonely is a man without love.” Unfamiliar with that late 1960s hit? Sit patiently through this video of Engelbert Humperdinck singing the first verse, in order to get to the chorus that’s about to be parodied:

Christmas bills are scare-ful,

 

But one can be careful.

 

Lovely is a man without loans.

 

Celebrate the season,

 

Keeping things in reason.

 

Lovely is a man without loans.

 

Go in debt, you peasants,

 

Buying toddlers presents.

 

Lovely is a man without loans.

 

Why impugn your credit

 

When they’ll soon forget it?

 

Lovely is a man without loans.

 

(Half-step up for the big finale)

 

Ere to shops I dart off,

 

First I pay the card off.

 

Lovely is a man without loans.

 

I’ll assuage my cravings

 

With January savings.

 

Lovely is a maaaan without loans.

 

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Holiday countdown: You’re probably already running late.

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The retail industry treats Christmas as one big countdown. This year has been the worst yet: Black Friday seems to have lasted the entire month of November.

But right after Thanksgiving the real fun began: “Only 26 more shopping days until Christmas.”

I think it’s because as a nation, we love to be nagged. The phone company reminds us to call home on Mother’s Day. Florists fuss at you to buy flowers for Secretary’s Day. Jewelers warn men to buy bigger and better diamonds for each year’s anniversary.

Nagging works, too: The phone system is overwhelmed on the second Sunday in May. Administrative assistants smile as they load up the vases (even if they’re inwardly wishing they’d gotten gift cards, or raises). And wives all over America decide to hang in there for another year because the big lug actually remembered.

But this is not a cynical post about the commercialization of sentiment. Not this time, anyway. It’s about why “(however many) more days until Christmas” is too vague to be of any use.

That’s because it’s not a warning — it’s a snooze alarm.

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Christmas stress: Wrap up guilt and simplify.

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thOne harried late-October evening, I rushed through a store’s costume section in a frenzy of last-minute preparations. To my horror, the reds and greens of Christmas cards and wrapping paper beckoned from a nearby aisle.

“Oh, spare me,” I said aloud. “I haven’t finished feeling guilty about Halloween yet.”

 

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You just gonna toss that bottle cap?

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Yesterday I bought three 12-packs of Diet Coke for $6.99. That is not a typo. I took advantage of a buy-two-get-one-free sale and “bought” one of the two with a “free 12-pack” coupon that I got from My Coke Rewards. I’ll be all set for quite a while as regards my caffeine of choice.

Before you hit “submit” on the Comments button, let me assure you that I already know carbonated soft drinks are not good for me. I already have a dental hygienist sister who is happy to point this out. But what’s life without a little sin?

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BOGO, meet GOGO.

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Surviving and Thriving is not a “bargain of the day” site. Plenty of other blogs already do that, and do it much better than I ever could. However, at times I’ll be writing about deals that I think are too good to pass up.

The “GOGO” deal at CVS is a good example. The drugstore chain has introduced e-gift cards, and during the month of May you can get a free gift card every time you give one.

(“Give one, get one” as opposed to “buy one, get one.” Cute, huh?)

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A little love is all I ask. (That, and a Swagbucks signup.)

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First and foremost: Many thanks to all who have stopped by to read and/or leave comments. Writers are the most insecure people on Earth, always wondering, “Is anyone even reading this stuff?” Well, because of the comments and the magic of Google Analytics, I know that someone is reading it. And I’m grateful.

Now, on to the favors:

Please consider clicking on the Facebook and Twitter buttons under “Follow us.” I’d love to get suggestions for topics, interesting URLs, photos of your dog, whatever. Let me know what you’re doing and thinking.

Also: The Swagbucks widget is fixed! (They call it a “swidget.” Ain’t that adorable?) Off and on during the day click the “Swag Codes” button and then click “Check if there’s a Swag Code.” They become available randomly, and can mean a bunch of extra Swag Bucks for you.

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