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that time of year again. Yuletide?Christmas in the air. Nostalgia Cheap Fjallraven Kanken Mini , goose pimples and casting off all financial discipline. It was originally meant to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. Joy to the world, and good will to all men?

Then the commercial establishment descended and hijacked the season. Coca Cola dug into the archives, fished out Saint Nicholas, dressed him in Coca Cola colors with a long white beard, and christened him Santa Claus. It has become:

"Joy to the world, and good sales to all shop owners".

It is the biggest sales season of the year. Shops prepare all year for this moment. To boost sales Cheap Fjallraven Mini , high street shops offer some tantalizing price reductions, 50% off, buy one get one free etc. They work on your psyche until you give up the fight, switch your brains off and give in fully to your emotions. There is a nice sounding word for this victory: consumer confidence. Buy now, regret later.

You must buy new clothes for every member of the household, especially the kids Cheap Kanken Mini , take them to Santa arcade, and send giftshamperscards to relatives, friends and foes. You must upgrade your living room, get wider screen TV, upgrade your cable subscription, give your home a fresh coat of paint Cheap Kanken Backpack , change the curtains, the list goes on. Buy one, get two free, and suffer buyer's remorse later. It is all in the spirit of the season. You can think of the credit card companies later. You are helping to crank the engine of the economy.

How do you withstand this massive onslaught against your fragile purse strings, this war against the soul of your finances?

Befriend your budget. Run back home and make friends with your budget. Period. The standard advice is, "Make a budget and stick to it". A lot of folks like us have attempted that. If you make a budget and stick with it Cheap Fjallraven Kanken Backpack , you are home safe and dry. This article is not for such lucky folks. It is for folks that are still struggling, budget after budget.

Befriend your budget. A well-made budget is a good sight to behold. The snag is, you have to follow it. That is when the rubber hits the road. This is where most folks take a bow. If your budget is balanced on papercomputer, and unbalanced in reality, something is wrong. That budget is not you. It is an expression of your wishes. There is a communication problem between you and your budget, though you live in the same house. It happens all the time. Married folks will understand what I mean. You guys are speaking in foreign languages.

How do you befriend your budget Cheap Fjallraven Backpack , and speak the same language?

How can you turn your budget into a friend, rather that a cruel taskmaster?

To attempt to answer these posers, let me tell you a story about two friends: Mr. Nice and Mr. Necessary.

Meet Mr. Nice. An easygoing guy, does not like stress; cares a lot about what others think about him, especially his clique and peers; generally goes with the flow of current trends and fashion; does not like to be the odd man out; does not mind "buy now, pay later"; likes eating out a lot and enjoying the moment to the fullest; hates "cracking" his brain etc. Likeable guy Cheap Fjallraven Kanken , Mr. Nice?