UNCOMMON CENTS

A SMALL BONSAI, REDUCED FROM $9.00 TO A BUCK. IS THE PRICE FINALLY RIGHT? DID I NEED A SMALL BONSAI AT $9.00? NO. CAN AFFORD IT AT A BUCK? YES. THIS IS HOW I AVOID FALLING PREY TO C. NORTHCOTE PARKINSON'S LAW THAT "EXPENDITURES RISE TO MEET INCOME." I SHOP SO THAT EXPENSES NEVER EXCEED INCOME, WHEN BARGAINS ARE BEST AND VALUE TRUMPS SELF-ESTEEM OR POLITICAL CORRECTNESS. THE CHOICE BETWEEN WHETHER I COULD HAVE SAVED OR SPENT THAT BUCK FOR THE SMALL BONSAI ALSO HAD TO BE MADE.

CONTRAST AN AMERICAN FROM ELMHURST, ILL., WHO BELIEVES THAT "PEOPLE SAVE FOR RETIREMENT WHEN THEY HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO ALLOW THEM TO DO SO." THIS MAN IS DEAD WRONG. THOSE WHO HAVE NOT HABITUALLY SAVED RESPONSIBLY WILL HAVE NO LEGACY TO VALIDATE THE INTEGRITY OF THEIR LIVES. THIS MAN ALSO SAYS, "YOU CAN'T SAVE MONEY YOU DON'T HAVE." HE SHOULD HAVE SAID, 'YOU CAN'T HAVE MONEY UNLESS YOU SAVE.' THIS MAN NEVER PENSIVELY LOOKED BACK AT ASIAN, IRISH, GERMAN OR ENGLISH IMMIGRANTS OR LOOKED OUT ON TODAY'S MEXICAN MIGRANTS. EACH ALIEN GROUP SOMEHOW MANAGED TO SEND SOME MONEY BACK TO THE HOME FRONT YET BUDGET ENOUGH CASH THEMSELVES AS THEY ADVANCED THEIR ECONOMIC STATUS. THIS ILLINOISAN KNEW NO GRANDMA WHO ADVISED HIM THAT 'A PENNY SAVED IS A PENNY EARNED.'

VICTIMHOOD IS A SYNONYM FOR GRATIFICATION. A LITTLE LESS OF THE LATTER WOULD AMOUNT TO A NEST EGG IN THE LONG RUN. PARKINSON FORESAW THIS CONSUMER FROM ELMHURST STANDING IN THE LINE FOR HELP FROM THE GOVERNMENT RATHER THAN IN THE LINE TO THE BANK.

HINT: WHEN THE PRICE IS RIGHT, GRAB IT; WHEN IT'S WRONG BANK FOR THE FUTURE. K.I.S.S.