The process of getting something in my garage goes like this nowadays, first is the dread, then once I'm actually in my garage the head shaking, frustration then cursing as things fall over and if I'm lucky I find what I'm looking for or something else that will work in its place. They told me when I bought my house that I had room for 2 cars in my garage I think they lied. I know what happened, I got married. My wife is a shopper, but believe it or not she's very frugal. At first I thought that was cool, I thought I was marrying a woman who knew the value of shopping around. A dollar store treasure, I jokingly referred to her a few times as a cheap date. What I didn't know was that $30 at the dollar store would take up 15 times more space than $30 at a regular store. Maybe more once you consider that the items lower quality might keep it hidden better once it doesn't turn out to work as good as we needed it to.

Myself I've always been the type who keeps untraditional souvenirs that I loathe to get rid of. Although the quantity doesn't really rival what my wife has accumulated I'll admit to being an accessory to the problem. But being ex-Navy I keep my belongings to a minimum.

Is it really my wife's fault? Maybe in respect to each of us having to take ultimate responsibility for our situations, it is, but by the same reasoning I guess I'm also fully responsible for this situation.

But this is really not my point, to get to that let me just say we are also products of our environment, after 41 years of living American culture I'm starting to question its wisdom. Its not right, to me, that I hate the holidays that I used to love as a kid. Its the commercialism that ruins it for me. As an adult I understand what Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, and 4th of July are supposed to be about. As a veteran I cringe every time I hear someone say they are going to "celebrate Memorial day". That's just disrespectful, and shows ignorance. As a parent I feel the pain every year when we 'have to' spend about a grand on Christmas when I'm just finally getting ahead after last year. $1000 on stuff that gets played with a few times then gets lost among the other toys and may even be broken rather quickly, what a waste.They say business is all about supply and demand, well we consumers have a supply of money and every business is demands it!

"Christmas is about giving" what a great advertising slogan, the best sales pitch ever I think. Every year we give our hard earned money to toy and electronics stores, I've got more sweaters than I'll ever need (I live in a desert climate). My relatives and friends say insultingly I'm a 'Bah-humbug' a 'Grinch' and I'm too nice to point out to them their ignorance. I still buy the gifts out of guilt and conformity, but after buying for family, friends, kids, secret Santas at work its just a little nuts, overboard and shallow. Afterwards I'm in debt again and I feel used by the system.

Then comes Easter. Easter used to be a holiday about going to church where you would find out about the resurrection, about Jesus and his miracles, then someone added eggs. Then someone added baskets to carry those eggs. Then someone started filling those baskets with trinkets and candy. Then someone started selling them at the stores. Now toy companies are trying to advertise it as another Christmas like, shopping holiday. Don't even get me started about birthdays, if you have a large family you know what I mean. Its a slippery slope my friend.

The retailers and wholesalers would be happy to turn every holiday and birthday into a Christmas like extravaganza. People are so sensitive, and we are so afraid of hurting others feelings that we always gotta spend enough to show we really do care about them and that turns into more every year. Maybe over the course of our lives we can see little changes in our buying habits but if we look at it over the course of a couple of centuries it becomes more obvious. People used to be more frugal, money was not to be wasted, they made gifts along with many things they needed just for living. They cooked at home, they were healthier and happier.

Granted this commercialism has propelled the U.S. into economic superpower status and made possible a strong military and even raised our standard of living. So it wasn't all bad, and we couldn't take back that history even if we wanted to. But now most of every dollar we spend goes to China except the taxes, and I've got a garage full of junk. My cars, (an old Chevy and a dying Dodge, made in the U.S.?, but paid for), sit in the driveway of my overpriced house, not paid for. Our credit cards are maxed(mostly my wife's), my 401k is not being funded anymore, and with barely a grand in the bank I need to buy a new vehicle because its cheaper than fixing the Dodge, this system of earning and spending has put us in the poorhouse.  Literally.

Don't misunderstand me I do believe that capitalism gives everyone the ability to succeed, but in my capitalist view Gross - Expenses = Profit. And if I look at my finances as a businessman would look at his business, I'm in the red. The environment of American finance has put us at the bottom of the food chain, the retailers, credit companies, insurers, leasers, grocery stores, and government are all standing around us with their hand out demanding their tithe while we work and exist from paycheck to paycheck. What are we to do? Cry poverty when holidays come around, thereby giving us an excuse to be cheap? Really I wouldn't be lying right now, and later on if I do manage to save some money I can give more but always after paying my savings first.

The kids will understand,  kids being kids they are usually just as happy with a large box they can imagine is a spaceship or a race car as with the actual toy. My wife would know the truth though because she knows how much money I have at any given time, and she has ways of spending it. I have to get my wife on board with the plan if this is ever going to succeed.

What do we really need, Americans right now are cutting back out of necessity and fear. We need a roof over our heads, and we need food. We need savings and we need an education so we can make more money, and we need to make sure our children get educated, even if that means letting/making them live at home until college is completed, and helping them and mentoring them as much as needed, so they don't have to go through the wringer in their lives. Everything else is a luxury.

Does this make me a Scrooge? Maybe a little, it's defensive mostly and completely necessary right now, my company downsized and although I can't lay any family members off I can reduce expenses and debt. Luckily I wasn't laid off too. My new motto is my old motto "Pay cash for everything". Pay myself first, and save, save, save.