Best Reads of the Week: Valentine’s Day is a Ripoff Edition

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I’m convinced that Valentine’s Day is a complete ripoff. It’s a poorly disguised, marketing intense holiday to make fools like me feel guilty if I don’t buy my girlfriend a dozen ridiculously overpriced roses or a lame pint-sized teddy bear to show her — each year of course — that I still love her and cherish her company.

So like last year, I’m not giving my girlfriend a traditional Valentine’s Day gift.

Why?

Because I like taking the road less traveled, and more importantly, I hate being pandered to.

If I give a traditional gift, I’m lumping myself within 99% of other fellas out there and, more than likely, I’m projecting the image that I waited until the last minute instead of taking the time to come up with a unique gift to show her how much I value her company. So instead of giving over my credit card number to an overpriced florist website with next day delivery, I’m going to put some work into this and make it a real holiday instead of a fake holiday whose most popular symbol dies a week later.

Later this week, you should expect a post involving unique Valentines Day gifts ideas for your better half. Don’t get me wrong, I do love old traditions like surprising your lady with a dozen red roses, but for me, spending money on a gift versus investing your time in a gift is a lousy way to say I love you.

Whew, that was cathartic!

Now on to some thought provoking posts that caught my attention.

Best Reads of the Week

Early Retirement Extreme – It’s Not the Supreme Court, It’s You…

The problem is you or rather millions of you contributing your own little part to the problem every time you go to work, every time you buy some product, every time you consume something, …

WiseBread – The U.S. Government Wants You in Debt (via a guest post by The Investor Junkie)

It’s been said many times over 70% of the U.S. economy is consumer based. If the consumer disappears what happens to the economy? This might be the core reason why the United States policy might be trying to continue spending any way possible.

Millennial Marketing – Why Credit Unions Are Winning With Millennials

Don’t get wrapped up in using what you consider to be the coolest, hippest jargon. Gen Y does not want to be pandered to, they just want easy access to straightforward, clear information.

Free From Broke – Make More Money and Live Your Passion: Become a Cre8tor

If you’re tired of scraping by you’ve got to create. If you want to move out of your apartment or make more than minimum wage, you’ve got to create. The answer is to shift from being a full-time consumer to being a part-time Cre8tor.

The Good Human – Why Buy Toxic Products When There Are Healthier Alternatives?

I know it’s difficult to change from what you know to what you don’t know yet … But what they find is that yes – it works just as well, it tastes even better, and it’s not really any more expensive. And even if it was, isn’t a few extra pennies worth it to keep toxic stuff out of the ground and our bodies?

Blog Carnivals

Carnivals that I participated in this week were:

Life on the Balcony hosted a brand new carnival on container gardening.

Money Hackers Carnival at the Ultimate Money Blog.

The Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog Carnival at FitBuff.

The Money Management carnival at Money Management 411.

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Posted by Matt SF @ 31 January 2010 7 comments

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Jan 31, 2010
7:50 pm

#1 FFB :

Valentine’s Day totally plays on emotions. Hopefully for a guy, they have a gal who understands the holiday isn’t really important and is just a money suck.

[Reply]

Jan 31, 2010
10:29 pm

#2 Bytta @151 Days Off :

I can bet with every dollar in my pocket that 99% of people who post anything on the internet would rather have their hair coloured with wall paint than admitting that they celebrate Valentine’s Day with flower and chocolate (or to celebrate it at all). Yet, the florists beg to differ :).

So, if most people think that way, wouldn’t that put you in the majority?

[Reply]

Matt SF Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 11:39 am

I’d say that you’re probably correct, especially among the PF blogging crowd, but that doesn’t mean they don’t buy flowers to avoid the potential cold shoulders! :)

[Reply]

Feb 1, 2010
12:54 pm

#3 Kevin@OutOfYourRut :

A heartfelt thanks from all the men out there! Valentines Day is a giant marketing conspiracy in my opinion. We’re just cleaning up the bills from Christmas, then bang–this hits!

A friend of mine calls it “The Hallmark Holiday”; I guess he sees the card company as the lead conspirator.

[Reply]

Matt SF Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 11:41 am

Yeah that “Hallmark moment” thing is suspicious at best. When most of your business revolves around convincing people that they can’t say something memorable themselves, so instead of their own words or maybe even a hug, they need a $5 piece of paper to say it for you. If you’ve convinced the majority of the general public to that extent, I’d say you’ve done a pretty good job in the marketing department.

[Reply]

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