We all have our lil “gotta-have-its”–things that we’re just itchin’ to spend money on that aren’t essentials, maybe not even all that smart as purchases, but “gotta have it.”
When I ran into (OK, bought, cos it was about the same price–actually a tad less–than a six pack of Groelsch) a KC microbrew wheat beer that really turned my crank the other day, I once again got an itch to run out and buy this:
And this (of course)
Of course, there’s no guarantee I’d be able to reproduce a beer as good as the one that inspired this lil itch–at least not right away, and probably not with the Mr Beer kit. Heck, I’d probably have to run down to the neerest place (out of state, no less) that sells the raw ingredients, fuss around with learning more about beer making and even perhaps get a “real” beer making kit that included glass carboys, etc., before I could approximate the flavor.
And how long, at about 1/3 the cost per ounce of finished product, including buying good water, would it take me to recoup the expenditure? At about 1 or two beers a day (with a meal only–I know myself at least that well), well, I’ve not run the numbers but it’d take a while.
You get my drift yet? Itchin’ to spend some money on stuff I don’t really need. Where does that come from? Why not save it?
Our whole society has undergone a sea change since about the early 1950s or thereabouts. Saving has become something few people really do. Spending, spending above ones means, staying perpetually in debt, always behind the eight ball, is something a wide majority of Americans have chosen as a lifestyle. Spending on frivolous things, such as the extra $$ for that tasty microbrew (when good old American horse pi$$ will do as much good for my heart and nervous system, etc., health *heh*).
And then I saw Jerry Pournelle’s comment on an email I sent him (no, not the first one at that link; the second one :-)):
“They fine you for saving money. This ought to tell you what they want you to do.”
Folks, this is just another reason, of very, very many, that we need to scrap the current tax code and replace it with the Fair Tax. Just think it through.
Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, The Virtuous Republic, Faultline USA, Big Dog’s Weblog, Walls of the City, The Pink Flamingo, Leaning Straight Up, Phastidio.net, and , thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.