Thursday, October 02, 2008

financial realization.

There was a Target commercial on the TV the other night that was actually kind of right on. They know that most people are financially hosed right now, and a smart advertising person sold them a good idea: sell people things they need cause they arent buying things that they want.

So it is basically like "things you are going to pay a reoccurring fee for, just buy once and do it yourself." "gym membership" - shows a guy riding a bike. "hair cut" shows somebody cutting their own hair. Etc.

This is a great way to save money for sure. Those of us that are cheap enough to have gotten by for years doing these things (I have paid for 2 haircuts in the past 15 years, one of which was at "THE STRAIGHT EDGE BARBER" the other was 16 cents at a czech barber college) know how financially beneficial they are. (5 grand over 15 years?)

Honestly though, as one of the cheapest people ever, I feel threatened by this. If the average Target shoppers are hurting so badly that they need to live like my barely working self, does that mean that I am going to have to start working a lot more to continue to meet my low standard of living? This might be a true sign of the times.

Imagine going to work 40 hours a week at a job that you hate, paying 4 bucks a gallon for gasoline to get there, only to come home and not be able to afford the things that jobs are supposed to afford you. Wow, glad I came home from working all day to eat peanut butter sandwiches for dinner, after eating them for lunch, followed by eating peanut butter french toast for breakfast.

That scenario is like one step lower than what they are currently advocating.

PS. target if you read this (that one post the GM dude seriously read)... please pay me to film me walking around my house this winter wearing a parka and 3 pairs of long underwear and explain that you only need to buy these items once in exchange for 10 degrees on the thermostat at a reoccurring monthly bill.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not this year.... I am cranking the heat up! No more wearing hats and scarves to bed. It is a new year Cummings.. time to get a job to pay for our heating bill.

ridin at 4:20 said...

8 plus two is looking out for us:
http://8-plus-2.blogspot.com/2008/10/guide-to-saving-coinage.html

Rumor has it that the food at the local soup kitchens isn't too bad. I hear it's better than the crap they serve at the Jaffa Mosque.

Jason said...

"Imagine going to work 40 hours a week at a job that you hate, paying 4 bucks a gallon for gasoline to get there, only to come home and not be able to afford the things that jobs are supposed to afford you."

Wow that IS me. And I've been doing it for 16+ years. Good thing I married someone smart who lets me "forget' to pay the mortgage and buy bike shit.

j