Keith Tufte of Longview Wealth Management just sent me his list of things to be thankful for in this thankless economy. I added a few of my own at the end and hope you’ll do the same.

Thanksgiving 2008 things to be thankful for Top 10 List:
Be Thankful For . . . . . .
1. America is still the best country in the world (except maybe Norway). There are many worse places to live.
2. The price of gas is down huge. You can afford to drive your SUV and snowmobile again.
3. You still have a job (if you do). You still have your health (that’s what really matters).
4. AC/DC is touring again. Brittany Spears is not.
5. You’ve probably had a better year than Elliot Spitzer. Oops, caught with his pants down.
6. You didn’t invest in CDO’s, Credit Default Swaps, Alt-A Mortgages and other toxic assets this year.
7. Be thankful for double-coupon Wednesdays at Rainbow Foods.
8. The chance to buy stocks at much cheaper prices, and to take losses to save income taxes.
9. The best things in life are free, and we call all still afford free.
10. You are not Tom Petters. He’s spending Thanksgiving in jail this year (and probably next).

• I’m thankful that inertia resulted in one of our Roth IRAs sitting half in cash, allowing us to dollar cost average into the market during this downturn (if we get around to it).

• I’m thankful that we have three months of emergency saving to pay for basic living expenses…in this economy, better to be safe than sorry.

• I’m thankful that I don’t carry a balance on that Citibank credit card, because they just adjusted my interest rate despite the Fed lowering theirs.

• I’m thankful that our parents taught us to live within our means, which means we can afford our house payment and had enough fun money saved to finally buy a flat-screen TV (which, by the way, is in Best Buy and Sears’ Black Friday circular at the exact same price my husband paid on his leisurely jaunt to BB last weekend).

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