Friends, let us be frank in admitting that we are weak and vulnerable, if only some of the time, and marketers get paid very good money to encourage you to make purchasing decisions at those times.  And can we also agree that we are entering into a period of high-pressure opportunities to spend, spend, spend away our shortcomings?

This period of gift-giving, for all its ancient roots and cultural value, can exert terrible pressure to dip into our savings -- let's call it "borrowing."  By any euphemism, the pictured pile of cash could be taken from me faster by a retail clerk than a thug, if I am not careful.  That's one of the benefits of my choice to save in the smallest bills possible -- it's annoying to make big purchases with large piles of notes -- but there are other safeguards to consider.

I'm a big fan of lying, of course.  If there's a way to make the savings inconvenient or inaccessible, do it.  If you've chosen to keep it in a bank account, that's going to help, particularly if you don't have an ATM card for it.  If you do, find a metal coffee can, fill it with water, toss in the card and stuff it in the freezer; you'll be glad you did.

There are only six weeks left.  This is crunch time.  You've built up momentum, don't let anything distract you from your savings goal.  Your holiday budget and your savings goal are different things, unless you have been saving for gift shopping all along, then you're done, have at it.  For those of us finishing in just a month and a half, no excuses!  We've come this far, and we shall finish.  This I believe.

My savings thus far:  $1,081, 4.3% ($46) of which I saved today.