Money

Is your wallet feeling kind of flat this time of year? Are you afraid your bank account is going to dwindle away to nothing before the next paycheck? Do you wonder if you can afford to invite Santa to your house this year? Well, get off the pity train at the next station.

A recent United Nations' global study found that:

• If you have assets of just $2,200 per adult in your home, you are richer than 50% of the people around the world.
• If you have assets of $61,000, you're in the top 10% of the world's wealthiest people.
• If you have more than $500,000, you belong in the elite group of the top 1%.

The three richest people in the world (Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, investor Warren Buffett, and Mexican telecom mogul Carlos Slim Helú) have more money than the poorest 48 nations combined. [an aside: It's almost Christmas, I'm not going to pick on Bill today.]

Speaking of money: here's a neat trick for giving money instead of a shirt for Christmas when you don't know what size, color, etc. You'll also save on wrapping paper - it fits in an envelope so it's easy to wrap or mail. And if you're a real cheap skate, or in the bottom 50% of the world's weathiest people (and a lot of us have been there at one time or another), maybe you can dazzle the recipient with your craftsmanship so they won't notice it's only a one dollar bill.