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Inflation is everywhere right now.
Gas. Groceries. Insurance. Rent.
But there’s another kind of inflation most people don’t want to talk about.
Self Inflicted Inflation.
This is the inflation we create ourselves through choices — not policies, not the Fed, not the economy.
And with Christmas coming up, this problem is about to explode.
Christmas Debt Is the Quiet Budget Killer
Here’s a hard truth:
Millions of people are still paying off 2023 and 2024 Christmas credit card debt
and they’re about to add 2025 Christmas on top of it.
That’s not inflation.
That’s compounding bad decisions.
A $3,000 Christmas at 22% interest can easily turn into $4,000+ by the time it’s paid off. Multiply that over multiple years, and now you’re stuck in a cycle where affordability feels impossible — because you’re financing yesterday’s memories with tomorrow’s income.
🎯 Dollars & Sense Rule:
If Christmas requires debt, the budget is lying.
Renting, Driving Luxury, and Saying “I Can’t Afford a Home”
Let’s talk about the elephant in the parking lot.
Someone says:
“I can’t afford a house.”
But they’re renting…
With a $900 car payment…
On a depreciating asset…
While paying someone else’s mortgage.
That’s not a housing problem.
That’s an affordability choice problem.
A car doesn’t build wealth.
A home does.
Dollars & Sense doesn’t make sense of choosing lifestyle flex over long-term freedom.
The Top 3 Ways to Control Your Own Inflation
1. Stop Financing Holidays
Set a Christmas sinking fund.
If the cash isn’t there, the gift list gets smaller.
2. Delay the Car, Accelerate the House
Drive boring now.
Live free later.
3. Kill Lifestyle Creep
Raises should buy margin, not payments.
Freedom comes from breathing room, not bigger bills.
Final Thought
Inflation hurts.
But Self Inflicted Inflation is optional.
Dollars & Sense is about making today’s choices make sense for tomorrow’s freedom.
If homeownership is the goal — your money has to agree.
