Finance

I've been listening to all kinds of financial news lately. Some papers have declared the end to the financial woes of our time. It hasn't even been a year since things went to shit. I just don't think they know what they are talking about. The worst fear of the financial world is the American consumer learning to put some pennies away for a rainy day. Spend spend spend seems to be the chant echoing from the halls of government and the entire consumer chain of command. They want to sell us stuff in mass quantity. They want to sell us stuff made in China. Nothing is too cheap, too useless, too ugly, to hock to the (once) all mighty American Consumer.

It kind of sort of looks like people, some any way, have figured out that saving is not evil. Self control is not a sin. Waiting until you can afford something that you don't really need is not torture. (quote from memory) "The quickest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it back in your pocket."  Mark Twain. He was right then and he is right today.

Some economists say consumer spending is not 70% of GDP. Some say it is more like 40%. The disparity comes in what you are getting for your dollar. (Michael Mandel from Business Week)

Don't live like a begger. Keep your children in cloths and well fed. Take care of your home. Have a pet. Find a way to enjoy your personal time that doesn't cost a fortune. You can relax without spending money. I find a good book relaxing. I find bad books annoying.

My father is looking at buying a new boat. I could smack him in the head. He has had boats. He is not a boat guy if I am honest. The man would be a millionaire if he had only held on to a vehicle for as long as it did the job and hadn't bought motorcycles and boats over the years. I worry he is a great guy. he is just looking for something in things that he cannot find in his heart. I hope he is not trying to fill a disappointment. He will not find satisfaction in material things.

Money affects everything we do. It affects every person. In the U. S., if you do not have money you will starve. You will have to take hand outs from kind people who have money or access to resources. I'm conflicted about that. I am a Capitalist, but that fact makes my gut go wiggly.