A lot of people are aghast that stores open on Thanksgiving now.
Yet if I had no family to celebrate with I might dip into K-Mart to shop.
The idea that celebrating the holidays is a normative experience for everyone is what I don’t like.
Though it seems right to me that in New York City schools are now closed for Eid and Ramadan as well as Christian and Jewish holidays.
I was able to buy two pairs of pants for $50/each last weekend.
What I’m against is supporting companies whose products cause people ill health. I don’t want my money invested in Coca-Cola or the latest version of Phillip Morris or in Monsanto or Synerga or Dow.
You get a higher return investing in stocks yet we should be aware of where our money is going.
I say: take advantage of using discount codes on the Internet when you shop. Timing what you buy right you can get clothes for 50 percent off.
This rings true to me too: no one should go into debt to support their lifestyle.
I realize the economy has forced families into homeless shelters and might have forced people to charge necessities on their credit cards.
In New York City gentrification has forced life-long residents of certain neighborhoods out of the City when people with easy cash start moving in. Trendy stores and boutiques pop up. Landlords raise rents and in some cases fail to make repairs in the hopes that poor tenants will give up and move out.
You can read about this in the New York Times.
I’m against how poor people are pushed out of neighborhoods. I’m against how the City now caters to millionaires with ultra-luxury hi-rise apartments.
The Black Friday blues are all too real for a lot of people who can’t afford to keep up with the Joneses.
I say: refrain from chasing the things money can buy. Like experts tell us: buying experiences gives us joy.
So buy lasagna to serve at a dinner party. Buy your poor friend a shirt for the holiday. Buy a train ride to take a day trip to watch the fall leaves turn color Upstate.
You can be happy living on very little money. You can be healthy even if you’re not rich.
Health trumps money in my book.
Happy Tuesday!
Left of the Dial 