The Things People Buy

I was watching several videos taken on Black Friday of people storming stores first thing in the wee hours to get their hands on the promotional items offer by many retailers. It never ceases to amaze me the efforts people go to in order to get the good deal.

After a few discussions with my father-in-law over the holidays it also ceases to amaze me what financial decisions people make in order to indulge in spending. One particular discussion was about the work my inlaws do at a food bank and a free clinic in northeast Oklahoma. One older gentlemen came into their free clinic one day to see a doctor. The man got to the clinic in a car that most people would not consider unsafe and that would make environmentalist keel over in disgust. As the man was talking to my father-in-law, he noticed that there was a new pack of cigarettes in this man's front pocket. So my father-in-law asked the man, "how do you afford your smoking habit?" To which the man replied, "you just learn to make choices and sacrifice."

Really? You make the choice to smoke over the choice to have regular medical care or safe (and maybe reliable) transportation? At $5/pack, I would imagine (based on the smell radiating from his clothing) that he drops a couple hundred dollars a month on Marlboros.

Unfortunately this is not single occurrence. My inlaws say they see the same choices being made when it comes many customer of the food bank. People showing up smelling of cigarettes, showing multiple tattoos and looking for free food for their multiple kids all while talking to someone on their cell phone.

For the life of me I do not understand how someone's economic priorities can be so screwed up. It really makes me think twice about charity this time of year. While I want to help the less fortunate, I don't want to contribute in any way to any one that believes Marlbors are more important than food, medical care and the basic needs of their family. By the way I do not consider Keystone Light, cable TV, internet, and cell phones basic life necessities. Call me crazy....