Ask Rachel

Dear Rachel,

I can’t decide what to think about gift cards. On the one hand, they make the perfect gift, because they take the guesswork out of gift-giving. You can go get whatever you want with free money! On the other hand, they take all the heart and soul out of gift-giving. Someone didn’t even take the time to pay attention to what you want or need! Please tell me how I should feel
on the subject.

– I Got Carded

Dear Gift Horse,

You should feel ashamed for even participating in the capitalist schema that requires us to purchase gifts with money for every occasion. Why do we even celebrate birthdays? It’s not like you did anything to facilitate your own birth, and you certainly didn’t keep yourself alive those first few formative decades. It’s time we take the money away from the gift card oligarchies and put it back where it belongs—inside greeting cards, mailed as cash.

– Many happy returns, Rachel

Dear Rachel,

I’m so sick and tired of paying rent in this town. I think I’m going to buy a condo. I mean, there’s a lot to be said for building equity and other things that sound like adult things to do. But I also kind of like not sharing walls with anyone, and being able to have a pet, and I think it’s weird to buy one unit out of a whole building. It’s just an apartment where you have to fix the leaky faucet yourself. Is there another option out there for a person like me?

– Renter to Owner

Dear Home Owned,

Sure, there’s another option. It’s called “living in Farmington.” When I put it like that, I bet a condo doesn’t sound so bad, huh?

– Suck it up, Rachel

Dear Rachel,

I’ve recently signed up for this newsletter that shows me deals on flights out of Durango. Every now and again, there’s something ridiculous, like a flight to New York for $200 or Dublin for $500. But I’ve never pulled the trigger. Maybe I’m messed up from childhood, but I just expect that a deal too good to be true is actually too good to be true, and I’ll end up signing away my right foot or something. What’s wrong with me? Or is it them?

– Price Frozen

Dear Hobbled,

I can hardly fault you for getting gun shy around airlines, airfares, airplanes, air mail, air mattresses, Air Jordans or anything else that makes you think of getting screwed by baggage fees, anti-terrorism taxes, duties, peak pricing and in-flight entertainment. It’s possible, though, that the airlines are just trying to fill empty seats, and what you see is truly what you get. I can think of one way to find out: You buy me a $500 gift card for each airline, and I’ll book the first cheap ticket to Europe I see.

– Bon voyage, Rachel