Today was a trying day for me.  Nothing seriously wrong; just busy with life and sometimes things don’t go as we plan.  As I sat in my car at a stop light on my way home, I was aggravated, frustrated, and exhausted from some of the day’s events.  My mind was swirling around what happened in the past instead of looking forward to what waited in my future…. my husband and wonderful children to hug me when I arrived home!
I’m not sure what caused me to glance at the car to my left.  However, it only took a few moments for me to be humbled and reminded that my day was not nearly that bad.  The woman in the car to my left sat motionless, both hands on the wheel; arms fully extended.  She wore a wedding ring on her left ring finger and down her face poured a river of tears.  A child, close to 3, sat sleeping in a car seat in back.  I found myself wondering what had happened to her.  I thought; “now, she had a bad day!” As the light turned green and she pulled away I realized that she may have been having more than a bad day.  On the bumper of her car, pasted to the right of her license plate, was a magnet with the following words; “Half of My Heart is in Iraq.” 
My heart sank for her as I thought about Thanksgiving and her 3 year old son sleeping in back.  I wondered how long her husband had been away and if he would be home for Christmas.  Most importantly, I instantly forgot about whatever it was that had been so upsetting in my day.  And, when I got home, I hugged everyone very tightly.
There are many things to be thankful for every day; sometimes we are just looking too hard!  I am thankful for my family and that we are together for Thanksgiving.  I am also thankful for the woman in the red Subaru and her family.  I hope they are not separated for much longer!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Named for the outrageous profit margins retailers experience during this 24 hour period, the Friday after Thanksgiving is commonly referred to as “Black Friday.” However, with the economy in its current state, it is more important then ever that we realize that Black Friday for the Retailers actually means Red Friday for the consumer.  The term actually stems from the old accounting practice of using Red ink for debts and Black ink for profits.

For those of you planning to brave the crowds (more then 147 million last year), here are a few things to keep in mind while hunting for those once in a lifetime sales and impossible to pass up deals. 

First, have a plan.  If your purpose for shopping is to complete your holiday gift list, make sure you actually make a list, and bring it with you!  Stores make a considerable amount of money on impulse buying.  By making a list of the people you need to buy gifts for and what you plan to buy them, you can combat the urge to splurge and still get the gifts you need without sliding into the Red.  If you are unsure of what you want to get someone come, up with an appropriate amount that you would be willing and able to spend and write it next to their name on your list.

Second, make a budget.  It is easy for shoppers to get carried away in the moment.  After all isn’t that what the entire day is built around?  Some of us may already have our holiday list complete so Friday will be more for the thrill of the hunt.  Regardless of who you are buying for, having a budget can keep you calm while the world around you is whirling with “last chance deals.”  The key to a budget however, is to keep track of your purchases.  If you buy mom the video camera she asked for make sure you write down how much it cost you next to her name (on your gift list).  No matter who you are buying for, you should keep a notebook handy to tally your receipt totals as you go.  This will keep you aware of what you have spent and how much of your budgeted money you have left while a also keeping your bank account in the black.

Third, make sure to ask yourself one very important question before each purchase.  “Do I need this?”  If there is a chance that you are buying something for the thrill of the sale instead of the quality of the item or the fact that you actually need it, rethink your purchase!  Don’t let yourself get so caught up in the moment that you start to impulse buy.  Asking whether you really need something will prevent you from purchasing items you do not need.

Fourth, do your research.  How will you know if 30% off of that IPod is a good deal if you haven’t looked at what it goes for normally?  If you have made a list, you should have some things in mind.  Spending a little time researching the things you want to buy can save you a lot of money.  Many stores provide prices for items on their websites so there is little effort needed to do a little research.  For instance, if I wanted to get my sister a new camera, I would check its price at Best Buy, Circuit City, Wal-mart, and Amazon.  If I’m prepared with a list of comparable prices I am less likely to spend more then I have to in the stores.  To aid in the researching process there are many websites dedicated to helping consumers find good deals.  To preview the sales, try visiting www.bfads.net or www.blackfriday.gottadeal.com

If you can’t find the perfect gift on Friday, stay calm there are more sales.  Many stores extend their sales throughout the weekend to maximize their profits.  And, if you are not one of the 147+ million people who will be hitting the stores on Monday, you can still take part in the savings.  Many retailers cut prices on their products thru their online the Monday after Thanksgiving.  To take advantage of these deals go to www.cybermonday.com or www.bestcyermondaysales.com.

So, cut your coupons, create your itinerary, and fill out your budget.  This year black Friday will happen as it always does for the retailers.  However, this year make sure it doesn’t become “Red Friday” for you.

With Thanksgiving almost here and Christmas looming, I find myself thinking; “I thought I was busy in October!”  With this on my mind, I would like to share an excerpt from Robert Fulghum’s book “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.”  I hope it will serve to remind us that no one person is perfect!

“The man next door cleaned his gutters yesterday.  Downspouts too.  He’s done it before.  I saw him last year.  Amazing.  I was forty years old before I even knew that people cleaned gutters and downspouts.  And I haven’t been able to get around to doing it once yet. 
“I live in awe of people who get those jobs done.  The people who live orderly lives.  The ones who always do what needs to be done and do it right.  I know of people who actually balance their checkbooks each month.  I know that’s hardly credible, but I swear it’s so.
“These people also have filing cabinets (not shoe boxes) with neat, up-to-date, relevant files.  They can find things around the house when they need them.  There is order under their sinks, in their closets, and in the trunks of their cars.  They actually change the filter on their furnace once a year.  They put oil and grease on mechanical things.  Their warranties runneth not out.  Not only do their flashlights work, they actually know where the flashlights are!
“When their car was last serviced-they know that too.  The tools in their garage are on the pegboard-right where they are supposed to be.  Their taxes are based on facts, not hunches and prayer.  When they go to sleep at night, their list of Things to Do has a line through every item.  And when they arise in the morning, their bathrobe is right there beside the bed and it is clean and new.  Socks-right there in the drawer, folded into matching pairs.  Yes!  And as they prepare to walk out the door into a new day, they know exactly where their car keys are and are not worried about the state of the car battery or if there is enough gas to get to work.
“There are such people.  Ones who have it all together.  Exmpt from the reign of Chaos and the laws of entropy.  I see them every day all around me.  Calm and easy pillars of society.  They are the people in your high school yearbook you wanted to be.  The ones who made it.
“Well.  I am not one of them.  Out of the frying pan, into the spilt milk is more me.  Most of the time daily life is a lot like an endless chore of chasing chickens in a large pen.  Life is an air-raid drill.  Never mind the details.” -Robert Fulghum

I, for one, would like to meet a person who’s list of Things to Do has a line through every item when they go to bed!  Are you more like Mr. Fulghum, or the fictional super hero he describes? My guess is most of us fall somewhere in between the two. Instead of “never mind the details;” remind yourself during this busy time to “never mind the unimportant details.”  Prioritizing is always the key!