On Friday, I filled my tank with $1.89 per gallon gas. Did you ever think you’d see that by year’s end? It’s a perfect lesson on why you don’t let your emotions make your  financial decisions. If gas prices can go down, stock prices can rise.

That same day, I opened my proposed property tax estimate for 2009. Not surprisingly, my tax bill will be 8.2 percent lower next year.

Granted, there’s a negative side to both of those numbers. Demand for gas is down because the people are concerned that the economy’s going you know where and my property taxes are down because my house is worth less than it was last year.

But since I’m still driving and have no plans to sell my house, these developments mean more monthly cash freed up for buying stocks, or Christmas gifts while they’re cheap.

My family even purchased the biggest-ticket item that we have in years this weekend.

It’s a used popup camper we’re sharing with friends– at a pretty steep discount. The overextended seller had to let it go….

I bring this up to point out that, althought there is plenty of gloom to darken our steadily shrinking November in Minneosota days, there is a bright side too, if you care to look.

In fact, Mary Hunt’s column this week is all about the bright sides that she’s identified, gas prices, and shopping bargains included. Her others:

• Interest rates are low, for mortgages and credit cards. (Of course the downside is your rainy day fund is earning next to nothing).
• Homes for first-time buyers.
• New cars for a song.
• Libraries are resurging. Public libraries are doing record “business” these days, as Americans across the country are increasingly taking advantage of the best deal in town, where everything, including books, CDs and even video game sessions, is free.
• Bountiful harvest. Despite weather challenges, America’s heartland is poised to deliver a record-smashing bountiful harvest. Exports of U.S. farm products will increase more than 40 percent in value this year. That is great news for both farmers and consumers, as the weak economy and excellent supplies are expected to prevent further price increases.

At lunch on Friday with financial counselor Ruth Hayden, she told me that another silver lining she sees is Americans waking up to mindless spending. I happen to agree, as I pointed out in my recent column on reclaiming the real meaning of thrift.

Share your silver linings, bright sides, and glass is half-full insights.

This entry was posted on Monday, November 17th, 2008 at 4:16 pm and is filed under economy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.