Here's a dilemma: It's Thanksgiving weekend, a time to reflect on all the great things we have by virtue of living in Canada. Some of us chose to be here, and many people overcame challenges and adversity to make this country their home.

Ironically, if you were invested exclusively in Canadian banks in the last month, you did much better, as all of them outperformed the market as a whole. Royal and Scotiabank shares are "only" down five per cent in the last month. The irony is that it is the problems with banks in the rest of the world that is causing much of this crisis.

Research ways to get what you want for less and make the necessary effort to follow through. Oprah had "the thriftiest family in America" on her show Oct. 8, and you can get those tips at Oprah.com. Here is a time we can learn from our southern neighbours, who are reeling from 30 per cent drops in house prices, foreclosures, layoffs and well-grounded fears. For your part, start demanding more value for your hard-earned money. Make sure every dollar you spend is by your conscious choice.