The Christmas season is wonderful, but it can sure wear a person out. Especially when you have a one year old boy who likes to touch and pull on the Christmas tree lights. Onto the personal finance news…

Why You Need (or Don’t Need) a Down Payment Want to know why I read Generation X Finance? This link pretty much explains it all. (@ generation x finance)

Are We Wasting Our Time and Money With Frequent Flier Miles and Credit Card Points? It’s not a waste of time if you manage to view them for what they actually are: just a nice bonus, not the answer to any of life’s problems. If you ever justify a purchase with a credit card bonus program, you have a problem, and it’s not the program’s fault. (@ it’s just money)