UNCOMMON CENTS 68

TAKE A CUE FROM THAT OLD ADAGE, "LET GEORGE DO IT." DON’T YOU STICK YOURSELF WITH FOOLISH SPENDING, LET THE FOOLS DO IT. LET HIM BURN THE CANDLES THAT FUEL A 746 MILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY. DO YOU REALLY NEED A $5.00 A WEEK FIERY 'INVESTMENT' IN WAX AND PERFUME? LET HIM SHOP IN STORES WHERE PRICES ARE HIGHER AND CHECKOUT LINES SLOWER THAT REPRESENT AN INFRINGEMENT ON YOUR AUTONOMY. AN UPSIDE DOWN MIND SET BELIEVES THAT YOUR ARE NOT BETTER OFF SAVING MONEY ON A BOX OF PAPER CLIPS OR A REAM OF COPY PAPER AT DOLLAR TREE OR WAL-MART WHEN IDENTICAL PURCHASES COST MORE AT HOME DEPOT OR OFFICE MAX. LET GEORGE BUY PEPSI, BUD LITE OR NIKE TO SWILL OR STOMP BECAUSE THE ARTIFICIAL WORLD OF BRAND NAMES SUPPORTS FALSE SELF-ESTEEM. YOU COULD DEVELOP JUST AS ADDICTIVE A TASTE FOR A K COLA, A $19.00 SNEAKER OR A GOODWILL $2.00 SHOE BECAUSE IT SAVES YOU BIG BUCKS. LET GEORGE, THE SUPER RICH FAN OR THE WASTREL WHO SHOULDN'T CHANCE IT, PURCHASE A PERSONAL SEAT AT THE SUPER BOWL. DO YOU NEED TO BE AT THE GAME WHEN YOU CAN WATCH IT FROM THE FREE SEAT IN YOUR FAMILY ROOM? LET THOSE WHO BELIEVE THAT CLOTHES DETERMINE WHO YOU ARE, WEAR PRAVDA, ARMANI OR TOM FORD. PRUDENCE SHOULD TELL YOU THAT YOU DO NOT BELONG IN THE HIGH FASHION WORLD OR, PERHAPS, IN THE GAP. LET GEORGE PUT THE BRAKES ON FREE TRADE AS SOME POLITICIANS WOULD LIKE TO DO, BUT DON'T LET YOURSELF SUCCUMB TO ANYTHING THAT STRIPS YOU OF FREE CHOICE. CHOOSE TO PROTECT YOUR MONEY AND YOUR FUTURE. YOU AND I KNOW THAT WE ARE PROBABLY IN THE 90% OF THE POPULATION WHOSE I.Q. FALLS BELOW THE EXCEPTIONAL LEVEL OF 120 AND ABOVE. WE REPRESENT THE GENERAL POPULACE IN AMERICA. WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE MAY EXERCISE OUR FREEDOM OF CHOICE AS OFTEN OR AS RARELY AS THE 10% OF THOSE WITH GIFTED I.Q.'S. SO LET'S GET AT IT. CUT AN EXPENSE HERE; SAVE A LITTLE SOMEWHERE.

HINT: DON'T LET GEORGE DO YOUR SPENDING (OR YOUR SAVING) FOR YOU OR YOU WILL LOSE TO STRANGERS, SMARTER OR LESS SMART THAN YOU, WHO GAIN YOUR DISCRETIONARY CASH.