You may be missing the obvious here. If your plan is really going to work, you need to plan some slack. Plan an emergency fund, plan for frivolous spending, don't just plan for the exact amount of your monthly expenses - plan some slack for increases. The key to a good workable (key word here) plan is that there is a fudge factor put into place that accounts for the unknown.
I don't like Valentine's Day. My husband and I have gone out to dinner a few times, but it just costs more, the food is poor quality, and the traffic is horrendous. I'd much rather focus on our anniversaries (dating and wedding), because we share those days with each other rather than the rest of the world.
All the holidays seem an excuse for peddling more wares. But not really even liking diamonds lol - Hubby & I have settled into more heartwarming gifts. I want to make something this year, as finances are very limited - but a chocolate bar or so would be nice in the mix, too....
Retailers overhype it a bit, but I see it as a day to just let your loved ones know you care. It doesn't have to be with big expensive things. A simple phone call, card, or nice word is fine too. My husband and I might go out to dinner or just order in some pizza and play board games. We don't make a HUGE deal out of it, but it's nice that there's a day where you can just make a point of telling people you love and appreciate them (yes, I know, this should be EVERY day!). And I do spoil my other Valentine, my Jack Russell terrier, on V-Day with a new treat or toy. :)
"Frankly, I'm always suspicious of people who don't like celebrating birthdays. "
So let me ask you, do YOU care what matters to those you love? Seems like you care as long as what matters to them is the same thing that matters to you. If they happen to disagree, however, they are subject to armchair-Oprah-psychology. Because there must be something wrong with someone who doesn't like a big fuss on their birthday! Of course!
Valoween is just a way for flower, chocolate, and card companies to make more money and for people who don't already express their love for each other to do so through gifts that won't last that long anyway. Despite this, I still celebrate Half Price Chocolate Day on the 15th.
It is definitely way too commercial. Just like every other holiday in America. It's all about money.
My husband and I do special things for each other all year. Little things that wouldn't mean anything to someone else, but mean a lot to us. He is my best friend and the love of my life and I try to show him that every day.
I personally don't need flowers, candy, jewelry etc. to know he loves me. Those things are nice, but not worth spending money you don't have. Too much pressure is put on people to buy all these things to prove their love. Find some creative, frugal ways to show your love. And not just one day a year.
As someone who is not married nor dating anyone, I'm never thrilled with another day on which I'm reminded that I'm not married nor dating anyone and, according to much of the general population, I'm a poorer person for it.
That said, my mom still sends me a box with little toys and either candy or a gift card to Target (so I can shop for my own candy the day after Valentines and get twice as much!), my nephews send me cards with silly pictures they've drawn and there's usually leftover (or bought at half price) cupcakes or cookies at work the a day or two later. So, yeah, I take advantage of the overcommercialization of a holiday that I don't particularly enjoy but I do make the best of it.
All right, if we're going to talk about holidays and commercialism, let's start with Black Friday and Buy Nothing Day.
The Friday after Thanksgiving you can choose to overindulge in things that might make you feel good or things you hope will make people you care about feel good. It's the definition of over commercialized, but a well thought out gift purchased on that day can have its desired effect if you don't lose your head to absolute nonsense purchases. One red rose, or a small box of chocolates, and a slightly luxurious homemade meal can mean a lot to someone on Valentine's Day.
You can also choose to celebrate Buy Nothing Day the Friday after Thanksgiving and emphasize the fact that you don't need things to be happy and you are not someone whose head is easily turned by advertisements. But, this should not be a one day event; it's a commitment or your participation was meaningless and hypocritical. Saying "we celebrate our love every day of the year" is an absolutely wonderful sentiment, but it is a commitment, not a phrase to say to save money on gifts or to feel morally superior for ignoring one holiday.
My boyfriend and I don't celebrate Valentine's Day by mutual agreement, but my female friends from college and I celebrate our own tradition, Feb 15th is cheap chocolate day!
Yes, Valentine's Day is too commercial. Yes, we should all show the ones we love how we feel about them every day of the year. But some people need the extra push to be open with the ones that mean the most to them. So if this holiday motivates some declaration of honest sentiment in someone's life, then that is a good thing. After all sometimes the Christmas spirit gets lost in the pressure to purchase the right gift, but it's important just the same. Ditto for Valentine's Day.
I have a fantastic brownie recipe. But Basically you can just take any brownie and substitute the flour with the gluten free flour mix, cup for cup. Then add about a teaspoon of xanthan gum. Should work out great for you!
Love doesn't need diamonds, expensive flowers, or any of the other things I've seen advertised heavily to make it special. I use it as an excuse to get something really great for my guy that I wouldn't normally get but we have Valentine's day every day when we touch, hold hands, hug or just smile when we see each other. It hasn't gotten old even after 2 years as friends and then as lovers and that's the reason why.
I like the idea of focusing on love for a day but not the commercial aspect. Simple is better. A short love note would mean much more to me than stuff. The ads on TV and radio will have you think that everyone is buying roses, jewelry, etc! That reminds me...I want to suggest to my husband to not buy any overpriced roses. (-:
Popular belief to the contrary, Valentine's Day was not invented by Hallmark. Whether one chooses to celebrate it by spending a quiet evening at home with your loved one or out having an expensive dinner topped off with a diamond, to each their own. No one is forcing us to buy the items being advertised and opting out of the commercial part of the day doesn't mean having to turn your back on the day altogether.
I'm single and sure, Valentine's Day is tough for some singles, but then so are a lot of other days, if you choose to let them be.
Too commercial? That completely subjective. I vote no!
"As a society, we're all so obsessed with getting stuff and being the center of attention."
Wow. That's what you think celebrating birthdays (not gifting or partying) is all about? Sad. Birthdays IMHO are a way to remind someone of how important/special they are to us. You have a problem with that? Wow. It's not about stuff and it's not about being the center of attention. It's about being acknowledged. NOT the same thing.
To "What an awful suggestion" who wrote:
"You should remember that not everyone is living in an eternal party. Not everyone is not surrounded by tons of awesome friends and family who make them feel great 24/7/365; thus negating the need for any additional celebration."
Agreed. Excellent point. Not everyone comes from a loving, attentive family that treats them well.
If someone doesn't want their birthday acknowledged, that is THEIR choice. However, if you have friends and family who believe it is important to have their birthday acknowledged, if you love them and care about them, you will find a way to do it without going into debt. If you don't care about how they feel about this, no matter your own feelings, then basically you are dissing them.
Birthdays, to me, are important. Yes, you should treat folks great everyday and acknowledge them. But most people don't, no matter how loving.
To me, a birthday is the chance for someone to stop and remember and let you know how great it is that you are here on the planet with them. Doing it on the birthday is a way of saying: This is when you came and I honor it as I honor you and love you in my life right now.
You don't need a party every year, but yes, big birthdays are opportunities for special events.
Why is it folks can spend thousands on other personal activities, special events, boozing, every year but then begrudge someone they supposedly care about a gift, card, dinner out?
How cheap and thoughtless can you be? I mean, seriously. We're not talking about doing this for hundreds of people. Most of us have just a handful. And if you have a big family, you can find ways to split costs.
Frankly, I'm always suspicious of people who don't like celebrating birthdays. Dig deep and you'll often find people who issues with their family and others. Not saying everyone, but a lot.
You don't like your birthday to be celebrated, great. We won't. But don't ignore others who want it acknowledged. And don't put them down.
hahaha I like this post. My husband recently turned 27, and his relatives all came over and brought him a cake and pizza. The funny thing is that they NEVER came by to celebrate his birthdays before, but this year we have a baby so their ulterior motive was really to see the baby. I thought that was funny.
I look at it as a day to spoil my baby boy rotten and celebrate our love for each other. No restaurants. No expensive gifts. But I do always pick up his favorite bon bons at Godiva and a little bubbly.
Boring maybe, but it's one ritual I look forward to.
As the busy parents of a toddler (and 3 dogs and 2 cats) and full time working professionals (with side gigs), I welcome a society sanctioned, scheduled day for us to give our thanks for each other (in the form of gifts, and snuggles) and go on a date. Sure we COULD do it just any old day... but we don't!
If I need a special day for my wife to know how much I love her, then I am really dropping the ball the other 364 days of the year...
yes it is! The plan this year to have a picnic in the living room, with no gifts allowed!
You may be missing the obvious here. If your plan is really going to work, you need to plan some slack. Plan an emergency fund, plan for frivolous spending, don't just plan for the exact amount of your monthly expenses - plan some slack for increases. The key to a good workable (key word here) plan is that there is a fudge factor put into place that accounts for the unknown.
I don't like Valentine's Day. My husband and I have gone out to dinner a few times, but it just costs more, the food is poor quality, and the traffic is horrendous. I'd much rather focus on our anniversaries (dating and wedding), because we share those days with each other rather than the rest of the world.
All the holidays seem an excuse for peddling more wares. But not really even liking diamonds lol - Hubby & I have settled into more heartwarming gifts. I want to make something this year, as finances are very limited - but a chocolate bar or so would be nice in the mix, too....
Retailers overhype it a bit, but I see it as a day to just let your loved ones know you care. It doesn't have to be with big expensive things. A simple phone call, card, or nice word is fine too. My husband and I might go out to dinner or just order in some pizza and play board games. We don't make a HUGE deal out of it, but it's nice that there's a day where you can just make a point of telling people you love and appreciate them (yes, I know, this should be EVERY day!). And I do spoil my other Valentine, my Jack Russell terrier, on V-Day with a new treat or toy. :)
"Frankly, I'm always suspicious of people who don't like celebrating birthdays. "
So let me ask you, do YOU care what matters to those you love? Seems like you care as long as what matters to them is the same thing that matters to you. If they happen to disagree, however, they are subject to armchair-Oprah-psychology. Because there must be something wrong with someone who doesn't like a big fuss on their birthday! Of course!
Valoween is just a way for flower, chocolate, and card companies to make more money and for people who don't already express their love for each other to do so through gifts that won't last that long anyway. Despite this, I still celebrate Half Price Chocolate Day on the 15th.
It is definitely way too commercial. Just like every other holiday in America. It's all about money.
My husband and I do special things for each other all year. Little things that wouldn't mean anything to someone else, but mean a lot to us. He is my best friend and the love of my life and I try to show him that every day.
I personally don't need flowers, candy, jewelry etc. to know he loves me. Those things are nice, but not worth spending money you don't have. Too much pressure is put on people to buy all these things to prove their love. Find some creative, frugal ways to show your love. And not just one day a year.
Valentines' Day need not be too commercial, but it can easily get out of hand. We don't exchange gifts, but we do spend time together to celebrate!
MightyQuinn: Thanks for catching that one, you're right! It's now fixed.
The Writer's Coin | Follow me on Twitter
As someone who is not married nor dating anyone, I'm never thrilled with another day on which I'm reminded that I'm not married nor dating anyone and, according to much of the general population, I'm a poorer person for it.
That said, my mom still sends me a box with little toys and either candy or a gift card to Target (so I can shop for my own candy the day after Valentines and get twice as much!), my nephews send me cards with silly pictures they've drawn and there's usually leftover (or bought at half price) cupcakes or cookies at work the a day or two later. So, yeah, I take advantage of the overcommercialization of a holiday that I don't particularly enjoy but I do make the best of it.
All right, if we're going to talk about holidays and commercialism, let's start with Black Friday and Buy Nothing Day.
The Friday after Thanksgiving you can choose to overindulge in things that might make you feel good or things you hope will make people you care about feel good. It's the definition of over commercialized, but a well thought out gift purchased on that day can have its desired effect if you don't lose your head to absolute nonsense purchases. One red rose, or a small box of chocolates, and a slightly luxurious homemade meal can mean a lot to someone on Valentine's Day.
You can also choose to celebrate Buy Nothing Day the Friday after Thanksgiving and emphasize the fact that you don't need things to be happy and you are not someone whose head is easily turned by advertisements. But, this should not be a one day event; it's a commitment or your participation was meaningless and hypocritical. Saying "we celebrate our love every day of the year" is an absolutely wonderful sentiment, but it is a commitment, not a phrase to say to save money on gifts or to feel morally superior for ignoring one holiday.
My boyfriend and I don't celebrate Valentine's Day by mutual agreement, but my female friends from college and I celebrate our own tradition, Feb 15th is cheap chocolate day!
Yes, Valentine's Day is too commercial. Yes, we should all show the ones we love how we feel about them every day of the year. But some people need the extra push to be open with the ones that mean the most to them. So if this holiday motivates some declaration of honest sentiment in someone's life, then that is a good thing. After all sometimes the Christmas spirit gets lost in the pressure to purchase the right gift, but it's important just the same. Ditto for Valentine's Day.
I have a fantastic brownie recipe. But Basically you can just take any brownie and substitute the flour with the gluten free flour mix, cup for cup. Then add about a teaspoon of xanthan gum. Should work out great for you!
Love doesn't need diamonds, expensive flowers, or any of the other things I've seen advertised heavily to make it special. I use it as an excuse to get something really great for my guy that I wouldn't normally get but we have Valentine's day every day when we touch, hold hands, hug or just smile when we see each other. It hasn't gotten old even after 2 years as friends and then as lovers and that's the reason why.
I like the idea of focusing on love for a day but not the commercial aspect. Simple is better. A short love note would mean much more to me than stuff. The ads on TV and radio will have you think that everyone is buying roses, jewelry, etc! That reminds me...I want to suggest to my husband to not buy any overpriced roses. (-:
Yup. Yup it is.
Popular belief to the contrary, Valentine's Day was not invented by Hallmark. Whether one chooses to celebrate it by spending a quiet evening at home with your loved one or out having an expensive dinner topped off with a diamond, to each their own. No one is forcing us to buy the items being advertised and opting out of the commercial part of the day doesn't mean having to turn your back on the day altogether.
I'm single and sure, Valentine's Day is tough for some singles, but then so are a lot of other days, if you choose to let them be.
Too commercial? That completely subjective. I vote no!
Quick Question writes:
"As a society, we're all so obsessed with getting stuff and being the center of attention."
Wow. That's what you think celebrating birthdays (not gifting or partying) is all about? Sad. Birthdays IMHO are a way to remind someone of how important/special they are to us. You have a problem with that? Wow. It's not about stuff and it's not about being the center of attention. It's about being acknowledged. NOT the same thing.
To "What an awful suggestion" who wrote:
"You should remember that not everyone is living in an eternal party. Not everyone is not surrounded by tons of awesome friends and family who make them feel great 24/7/365; thus negating the need for any additional celebration."
Agreed. Excellent point. Not everyone comes from a loving, attentive family that treats them well.
If someone doesn't want their birthday acknowledged, that is THEIR choice. However, if you have friends and family who believe it is important to have their birthday acknowledged, if you love them and care about them, you will find a way to do it without going into debt. If you don't care about how they feel about this, no matter your own feelings, then basically you are dissing them.
Birthdays, to me, are important. Yes, you should treat folks great everyday and acknowledge them. But most people don't, no matter how loving.
To me, a birthday is the chance for someone to stop and remember and let you know how great it is that you are here on the planet with them. Doing it on the birthday is a way of saying: This is when you came and I honor it as I honor you and love you in my life right now.
You don't need a party every year, but yes, big birthdays are opportunities for special events.
Why is it folks can spend thousands on other personal activities, special events, boozing, every year but then begrudge someone they supposedly care about a gift, card, dinner out?
How cheap and thoughtless can you be? I mean, seriously. We're not talking about doing this for hundreds of people. Most of us have just a handful. And if you have a big family, you can find ways to split costs.
Frankly, I'm always suspicious of people who don't like celebrating birthdays. Dig deep and you'll often find people who issues with their family and others. Not saying everyone, but a lot.
You don't like your birthday to be celebrated, great. We won't. But don't ignore others who want it acknowledged. And don't put them down.
hahaha I like this post. My husband recently turned 27, and his relatives all came over and brought him a cake and pizza. The funny thing is that they NEVER came by to celebrate his birthdays before, but this year we have a baby so their ulterior motive was really to see the baby. I thought that was funny.
It may be, but it's not going anywhere- so why not embrace it and make it your own.
Make a homemade card and spend one day of the year showing/teling people how much you love them?
That being said, I'd probably gag and blush at the same time if someone bought me a heart-shaped box of chocolates.
I look at it as a day to spoil my baby boy rotten and celebrate our love for each other. No restaurants. No expensive gifts. But I do always pick up his favorite bon bons at Godiva and a little bubbly.
Boring maybe, but it's one ritual I look forward to.
As the busy parents of a toddler (and 3 dogs and 2 cats) and full time working professionals (with side gigs), I welcome a society sanctioned, scheduled day for us to give our thanks for each other (in the form of gifts, and snuggles) and go on a date. Sure we COULD do it just any old day... but we don't!