As my time draws to a close at my struggling multinational corporate client I find my attention being drawn more and more to the personal. Politics is receding, too – quickly, thankfully.  I would like to keep asking this question: am I crazy to think that frugality is not going to be enough in the next few years?  Accepting your income and only thinking about ways to cut spending is going to be a tough row to hoe, I think.  We’re certainly not big spenders, but we are worrying more about increasing our alternative income than decreasing our spending further.  I just feel that sometimes we’re in the minority with that thought process.  But man, I am happy happy happy to be losing my corporate gig, which should tell you something about what I probably should be doing with my life… I think the future is elsewhere, and I’m happier when I think that way.  I’ll keep you informed how that goes, because I think it’s going to go well.

On to the links, from the Money Writers and others. It’s a rush edition of linklings so the commentary is brief…

• Even in this Economic Crisis and with Failing Companies Your Pension Should be Safe: Absolutely. Pensions never disappear.
• Five Thoughts To My Future Children…: My thoughts to my future children: wait, no, I have two already…
• Are You Struggling With Financial Decisions?: I do, and I hate it – I lack clarity in my decision-making process far too often.
• Top 7 Financial Tips for Newlyweds: To be honest, these are four good tips for anyone, and one specifically for newlyweds; even old married couples ought to think about these points.
• Eleven (Nearly) Effortless Ways to Save Money Each Month: Effortless is not the point – or is it… basically my theory is that saving sucks, the human psyche rebels against it, and you have to almost “trick” yourself into saving by doing things like this. Admit that you need these little tricks and you’ll be better off.
• Ten Ways to Prepare for Higher Taxes: Because with Hank’s this-way-today-that-way-tomorrow bailout who knows how much tax revenue we’ll need to bail out Citi and Morgan and AIG bonuses…
• 6 Tips For Small Businesses To Navigate A Tough Holiday Season: Great tips which are also applicable to individuals.
• Rate Chasing with High Yield Savings Accounts: I don’t do it, but hey, if you do, here you go.
• Roundup of Available Referral or Signup Bonuses:  A cool list – free money if you want to sign up for any of these services.
• As Someone Who Can Legally Marry, I Am Embarrassed By The Bigotry In CA On Prop 8.: I can’t tell you how much this drives me insane. Marriage is not a religious contract, or even a societal approval. It’s simply a state licensing thing, and why two humans who want to have that status can’t have it is so beyond me that it makes my head explode. Let’s move on to climate change, or ending the wars, or balancing the budget and just give people the right to get a license, already. Full stop.
• Fitness for Dads – Fixing Your Posture: Excellent tips. Now to actually DO them myself…

And I participated in Fierce Financial Tips: The Carnival of Personal Finance, Struwwelpeter Edition this week.

WARNING: Please don’t read the link below if you are easily upset or have small kids. SERIOUSLY. Why? I read The Onion, normally a funny website that puts a smile on my face. After reading this article (Ed.  I removed the link to avoid helping their traffic as per Mary’s comment below – she was right that I don’t need to upset anyone else, or help The Onion anymore.  Sorry.) To summarize the article, it’s mocking in a horrific, joking fashion the rescue fantasies of a kidnapped and abused child.  I was deeply shaken. It is a horrible, inhuman article and I am sure that I am never going to visit The Onion’s website again. It’s almost subhuman, and I’m amazed something this horrible made it onto a mainstream site.  I’m a big fan of comedy and sci-fi movies; escapist stuff.  I just can’t understand how horror can be entertainment.  Call me thin-skinned, but life is too short to burden yourself with, well, shit like The Onion.  If you really must know the link, I’ll send it to you, but trust me – you don’t want to read it.

photo credit: h.koppdelaney