gifts that you give for yourself

Everyone has heard the cheesy shopping line that talks about "the gift that keeps on giving." I generally equate this to a magazine subscription, but it's been used time and again for a number of products over the years.

I've also recently picked up on a new angle being pushed by marketers - gifts that you give someone else which are really gifts for yourself. While this gifting concept isn't new, marketers typically left it untouched over the years, aside from perhaps the granola bar marketing that states that "chewy stops the chatter". Some typical examples when it comes to Christmas shopping would be when you buy your wife a new piece of lingerie, or a nice set of cookware for the kitchen. Sure, it's a gift for her, but she'll be (hopefully) wearing that sexy new teddy for you, and if she can cook, you're bound to reap some benefits for gifting a new set of designer pots and pans. Granted, you could easily take the concept too far. For example, if you buy a housewife a new vacuum cleaner, you're probably asking for trouble.

Other uses of this gifting tactic include gifts from parents to their children that relieve the parents of child-induced noise and aggravation. We've already touched on the granola bar approach. iPods also come to mind, particularly for long roadtrips. My parents used this one with us, and it worked very well for our frequent trips to the beaches of Florida. You just need to make sure to stock up on batteries before you leave. It's not exactly a novel idea, but I would hope that by now American consumers would be past the whole "selfish" phase that got us into this economic mess, and that they might be reassessing what types of gifts are truly necessary and worthy of being called a "gift" for someone else. In fact, one might think that giving gifts during a recession is a rather ridiculous idea. Instead, wouldn't it make more sense to give the gift of time, especially when we're likely to be working more of it to pay our bills?

hide your guns from obama

Lately, I've been hearing a rumor that gun sales are skyrocketing. Some say that it has to do with the recession, and that gun sales typically go up in times of economic depression. Other people are saying that Obama is planning on tightening the gun control laws, so people are grabbing additional firearms while they can. Personally, I'm not sure what to believe, but I don't think it makes that much difference.

When it comes down to it, you'd have to invest a boatload of cash to pick up enough firepower to ward off all of the boogie men in a sudden case of anarchy. And even then, who has time to learn enough about their weapons, and to practice with them enough that they will be of any use? I have heard that the best self-defense weapon to pick up is a double barrel shotgun, because the "point and spray" method will work for nearly anyone in a close range situation. But I can't even imagine half the people I know being able to shoot a shotgun, much less load one properly.

I just hate to think that we'll ever get to a point where our personal safety and entitlement revolves around the number of guns and ammo we can carry. If we ever find ourselves in that position, I suspect that there will be much more to worry about.

recessions, depressions, and investing

Analysts are predicting a depression. Democratic hopefuls are predicting change, and everyone else is just trying to survive. One of the questions that rarely surfaces when we find ourselves on the alleged cusp of collapse is how our current investment strategies may be affected.

For example, the typical American worker feeds a 401k with x amount of dollars per year, and hopes to supplement it with his/her pension and social security benefits. The assume that they will have to work 65 years (more like 75) before they can retire. Hopefully, by that time, they will have paid off their mortgage and credit card debt, and can spend what is left of their lives trying to rest and relax. But what happens when the market collapses? What happens when their 401k disappears, and the government finally admits to running out of social security?

Everyone is reliant on their current "sound investments" because they have worked well in the past for the majority of the population. But what kind of changes do we need to make when faced with a potential depression? Who has the experience to guide Americans through these decisions? What kind of planning existed for those who were hit so hard by the depression of the late 20s and 30s? Can we rely on the advice of our futures broker and investment advisers to steer us clear of an impending wave of bankruptcy and foreclosures?

Some would say this is unfounded paranoia. Some would say not to worry about it, or to trust that our government would prevent a depression from happening again. Others say to take all that paper money and buy gold. Personally, I've sunk much of my future into land. It may not be a very accessible source of funds in an emergency, but at least I know that I have somewhere to live (rent and mortgage free) in a bind.

the new depression?

So everyone is talking about the end of America as we know it. With gas prices at an all-time high (with no apparent end in sight), America's flooded heartland in Iowa, and the poor performance of the stock market as of late, people are worried. And I don't really blame them. The real estate industry is seeing a total slump in most areas. I can attend firsthand that some areas of e-commerce are seeing less sales, even if the cost of gas is making online purchases more desirable. So what do we do now?

Our presidential hopefuls seem to think that they can stimulate our economy in some way and prevent another depression, but I suspect that (like so many former presidents) they are only blowing smoke.

Personally, I am trying to position myself and prepare for the worst. Even if a depression doesn't occur, there is nothing wrong with simplifying your lifestyle, spending less, and trying to live a more self-sustained existence. Of course, the media and the government would prefer that we spend more cash on *things* to try and bolster the economy, but if we spend all of our savings and the economy totally tanks anyway, we will be in much worse shape than if we had some cash saved up.

new year blues

We often hear that the holidays can be particularly depressing for many people who find themselves feeling lonely. The onslaught of the holiday anxiety and the fast paced speed in which many of us try to get "our shopping" done doesn't help. But I was recently reading that this depression doesn't just go away after Christmas. In fact, some individuals suffer from depression even worse after the new year has begun.

Because a new year is often seen as a time of self-reflection, it can also be a time of "built-up expectations, disappointments from the previous year, coupled with stress and fatigue," as one article that I recently read stated. So, keep an eye out for your loved ones, and the not often loved ones during this time of the year. It can't hurt to send someone some extra attention now and then, and show you care for them. The elderly living alone seem to be especially vulnerable during this time of year. Go call your grandma.