Giving Tuesday

As you know, I'm a huge proponent of Black Friday (I stayed up until 1AM to save $10 on a diaper sprayer), Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. I cheap-out all year until this weekend, where I put the pedal to the medal on things I've been wanting to buy but couldn't justify spending our money on. You may not know this about me, but I RARELY pay full price for things besides groceries (and that's just because I can't fully get the knack for couponing - but I try!). I'd rather spend my money on experiences than things. So I cyber-shop all weekend and I love when the packages start rolling in. I'm a real instant gratification type girl, so waiting for my half price (or greater) goodies is hard. I get excited, even when I know the packages aren't for me (and they often aren't...)

Everyone picks on Black Friday shoppers for "trampling" people for bargains on new things when just the day prior (Thanksgiving), everyone was going around the table giving thanks for the things they already have. It's not like that for me. I don't go trampling people for a cheap TV. We have one. it's not great, but we have it, it's paid for, and it's going to stay on our TV stand until it dies. Again. Because we had it fixed the first time. (This is the same reason we have - literally - a fifteen year old washer and dryer set - but not pair, because they don't match).

BUT at the end of my cyber-shopping-spree comes GIVING TUESDAY, and I LOVE Giving Tuesday. I love that I married someone who loves giving to charity as much as I do - especially since he's the sole breadwinner right now. I love helping!

The first year we were married, Erik and I picked 3 kids off an Angel Tree and bought them toys. We painstakingly chose for each little one, refusing to buy things we thought weren't positive (like Bratz dolls - what the collective heck was up with those?!). We really had fun together and felt good about having spent the money. So we made it a tradition that I have carried on, even during the holidays which he is away. It's amazing what a couple bucks and few minutes can do for your soul.

So, if you're feeling gifty here are a few charities that I'm thinking about this year (and they're legit):

www.AZBrainfood.org - Brain Food discreetly provides underprivileged kids a backpack full of food to eat on the weekends when they don't have access to a school cafeteria.

http://santascause.net/About_Us.html - Delivering Christmas gifts to needy kids in Oklahoma City, OK

http://www.saltwaterchallenge.org/ - Send one of our Wounded Warriors on an all expenses paid trip to Martha's Vineyard to participate in a fishing tournament!

Don't have any extra this year? Not to worry! Go on over to http://www.volunteermatch.org/ and find somewhere you can give a few hours of your time! You get more than you give!

Or, if nothing else fits with your lifestyle, just pack up some stuff you don't need anymore and lug it over to the Salvation Army or Goodwill. All some kids get at Christmas is new-to-them toys. Help give their parents a good selection!

I LOVE Giving Tuesday!