larrycando
Literotica Guru
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2002
- Posts
- 867
I just wanted to start a thread to encourage people to stop this insanity of gift giving during the holidays.
I have been retail free now for 15 years. Secretly, I have had many family and friends tell me that they appreciate my effort to maintain "retail sobriety" during the holidays.
I have most everything I need. Some of those things, I have two of. I am grateful for my abundance.
My decision to remain credit free has quite a bit to do with the the abundance. I have an 08 Ford Ranger that I bought in 08 and paid cash for it. $17,500 after tax and license. I have three motorcycles that I paid cash for. I owe nothing.
It works like this: When I give a gift, it rarely goes without assumed obligation to receive one. So, consequently, those who receive the gift that I gave them, feels obligated to return the gift.
My family and friends no longer have any obligation to give me a gift at Christmas. I don't want the obligation.
It works. Here is how I did it: After Christmas, I made an announcement that I was "Retail Christmas Free" as of that moment. I was fortunate to not use any credit to get through that Christmas. From that point forward, if I wanted something I had to save up money to buy it.
So I had to drive an older car for awhile to make the transition. I had to use my current wardrobe a little longer than I wanted to. I started to recognize the value of "used clothing" to augment my wardrobe. Craigslist became my friend.
Last thing: I didn't have any small children involved in this. Sure I had some nieces and nephews that didn't get a gift from their uncle. I made up for that on their birthdays with savings bonds instead. They all now have some savings as a result of those gifts and they knew where that came from.
I am not sure what influence I have had on others in my life over this. Some circles have decided to draw names. I just don't draw a name and obviously don't put my name in. It is not even weird or awkward for me any more.
The last offender is the office gift exchange. What a crock of shit that is. During a time when everyone is stretched financially, you get hit with a needless gift exchange. Ask the personnel department to establish a policy to protect those who are not celebrating Christmas. They can understand that. They don't understand "I don't want to buy a gift" as it sounds selfish, but if the gift exchange becomes voluntary, pretty soon it is abolished due to non participation.
Happy Holidays.
I have been retail free now for 15 years. Secretly, I have had many family and friends tell me that they appreciate my effort to maintain "retail sobriety" during the holidays.
I have most everything I need. Some of those things, I have two of. I am grateful for my abundance.
My decision to remain credit free has quite a bit to do with the the abundance. I have an 08 Ford Ranger that I bought in 08 and paid cash for it. $17,500 after tax and license. I have three motorcycles that I paid cash for. I owe nothing.
It works like this: When I give a gift, it rarely goes without assumed obligation to receive one. So, consequently, those who receive the gift that I gave them, feels obligated to return the gift.
My family and friends no longer have any obligation to give me a gift at Christmas. I don't want the obligation.
It works. Here is how I did it: After Christmas, I made an announcement that I was "Retail Christmas Free" as of that moment. I was fortunate to not use any credit to get through that Christmas. From that point forward, if I wanted something I had to save up money to buy it.
So I had to drive an older car for awhile to make the transition. I had to use my current wardrobe a little longer than I wanted to. I started to recognize the value of "used clothing" to augment my wardrobe. Craigslist became my friend.
Last thing: I didn't have any small children involved in this. Sure I had some nieces and nephews that didn't get a gift from their uncle. I made up for that on their birthdays with savings bonds instead. They all now have some savings as a result of those gifts and they knew where that came from.
I am not sure what influence I have had on others in my life over this. Some circles have decided to draw names. I just don't draw a name and obviously don't put my name in. It is not even weird or awkward for me any more.
The last offender is the office gift exchange. What a crock of shit that is. During a time when everyone is stretched financially, you get hit with a needless gift exchange. Ask the personnel department to establish a policy to protect those who are not celebrating Christmas. They can understand that. They don't understand "I don't want to buy a gift" as it sounds selfish, but if the gift exchange becomes voluntary, pretty soon it is abolished due to non participation.
Happy Holidays.
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