Jack Wagon

Jack Wagon (Don’t be one) 11-24-10

I just love that commercial and I some how needed to write a blog with the word Jack Wagon in it somewhere. After watching the commercial I decided that I would probably be the same type of psychiatrist as Sergeant R. Lee Ermey but not as intimidating. Heck I look like Opie Taylor. It is kind of hard to intimidate people when you remind them of an Andy Griffith character. I started thinking about how we can be a Jack Wagon this time of year and it starts for us in two days. Black Friday! Some places have already started the frenzy by being open this week and starting on Thanksgiving Day. Come on over half of America will be in a turkey coma Thursday and not able to function in a crowded store. So the first one’s to be a Jack Wagon on this season is the stores. They have commercialized my beloved turkey day with being open. Okay ladies don’t be mad at me; some of you train for this black Friday event for weeks like it’s a marathon. I am ok with that. It is to you like opening day of deer season is to us deer hunters, except you get up earlier for it and it is dangerous for the other hunters (shoppers) in the stores. Woman world is tuff, especially that day! My wife has a group from our church leaving at 3 A.M. Friday. I may go hunting and I don’t have to get up till 4:30. More power to yall.

So you may ask how we can avoid being the Jack Wagon. 1. Stick to a budget! Get a number that you and you spouse can work with and stick to that number. 2. Don’t use credit cards because next year at this time you will be paying for this Christmas. If you use a credit card you tend to spend 12-18% more than if you use cash. Now lets be honest, I have done it is the past, you shop for someone else and you wind up not getting them anything, but you successfully get yourself a couple of gifts. What ever the amount you decide to spend get cash and when the cash is gone you are done. It’s a behavior issue not a number issue. 3. You don’t have to finish Friday! This is where you ladies need to take a lesson from us men. You can shop up to December 24th and not spend everything at once. Space out your shopping because if you do it all at once you will be ready to get it done and spend that extra instead of looking for a bargain. 4. Make a gift for others, I will tend to keep something longer if someone makes me something, and I will not forget it, especially if its food! 5. Bargain with people; ask for a discount, you never can tell when they will say yes. The answer is always no if you don’t ask. So I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and a great shopping experience. Don’t be an overspending Jack Wagon. Ladies be careful, have mercy on us men if you see us in the store with our wives or by ourselves; we are out of our element and we look like Jack Wagons in your environment! Have a blessed Thanksgiving and Christmas!