On Saturday, about three weeks after returning from our European vacation, Tom and I -- in one day -- bought a car and a dishwasher. We're doing our part to revive the world economy. But let me explain: The car is used and the dishwasher is mid-range. We've been washing dishes by hand since January and getting by with three or four drivers, two cars and a bike for weeks now. The combined mileage of the cars in our driveway is over 600,000. It's time. But that doesn't make it any easier. Spending money is hard for me. But I have noticed something. The more I spend, the easier it gets. Once the wheels of consumption are greased, they spin quite nicely. Maybe there's a lesson in this?