Have you had your spending reined in? Do you feel like you’re on a short leash, financially? Have you been unable to indulge in the little splurges for yourself or loved ones that you were used to? The economic climate overall is improving, but that doesn’t mean everyone is rebounding ~ in fact, for some people the sting of financial downturn is still fresh, whether it be from a lost job, a foreclosed house, a lifestyle downsize, or any one of a number of things.

The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

As I’ve mentioned in earlier posts, this recession hasn’t been all bad, as it’s taught many of us what’s truly important: we’re taking pleasure in the little things like eating meals together instead of going out, watching movies at home with friends instead of splurging on expensive outings, doing crafts with our kids instead of buying them the latest gadget, and so on.

But there’s nothing like the holidays to make you feel the pinch of a pinched penny. This time of year has ALWAYS been a hard one for much of American. People frequently go into debt to buy the perfect gift for themselves or a friend or family member. We throw caution to the wind and plan vacations home, eat meals out, host parties … and make things more stressful than they should be.

As many families are in the midst of needing to cut back, it’s even more of a necessity to live within your means this holiday season, but it’s likely to be even more tempting to overindulge. I call this a Pent Up Purchase. It’s related to a typical symptom of infidelity, the Pissed off Purchase, which I describe in my book Financial Infidelity, and can manifest itself in several ways:

Out of denial and anger, Americans have awakened to a new emotional response to the economic collapse. Our brain chemistry is negatively impacted when we suffer adversity. Because of this, the economic downturn we’re experiencing – and the penny pinching many are experiencing – is actually a set-up for irresponsible spending, and an unhealthy replacement for emotional intimacy.

Avoid Holiday Overspending

So where does that leave us, as we stare the holiday season in the eyes? Make sure you’re taking advantage of the GOOD things we can learn from this recession, like I mentioned above. It may seem like a vicious cycle: more stress=more tendency to spend=more stress. But doing things to remove stress from your life WITHOUT spending money will help break the financial infidelity cycle! Spending time with your family – which is often at the core of a memorable holiday experience anyway, even after you strip away the gifts and festivities – can be a good place to start. Or if your family is a source of even MORE stress know your limits and boundaries.

Essentially, the advice that is always relevant during this time of year is even more pertinent now: Take time to rest, to enjoy the season, to be with the people that you love, and let the support of all these things carry you through the stresses you may be feeling about finances, money or the economy.

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Everyone feels differently about sex on a woman’s period. Some women don’t mind it, other women won’t ever do it. The same goes for guys – some guys could care less if a woman is on her period or not, while other guys are going to steer clear during that time of the month. Besides personal preference, is there anything you should be worried about when it comes to having sex with a woman on her period? Is it less safe to have sex when a woman is on her period?

Pregnancy And Periods

Generally, women don’t get pregnant when they’re on their periods. First of all, an egg has to be dropped from a woman’s ovary for pregnancy to take place. Second, for a fertilized egg to implant itself in the uterus successfully, there must be enough uterine lining to house the fertilized egg well. A woman’s period is when she sheds this lining, making it a poor time for an egg to attach. That doesn’t mean it can’t happen though! Every woman’s body is different and she may drop an egg during her period, and she just may have enough menstrual lining to house the fertilized egg. While a woman is less likely to become pregnant while she is on her period, it is wise not to take that chance if you’re not planning on raising a baby. Using a condom, spermicide, traditional birth control or other barrier methods to prevent pregnancy at all times is probably your best bet if you aren’t looking to conceive.

Periods And STD’s

That said, there is another aspect of having sex while she’s on her period to consider. Sexually transmitted diseases and infections actually have a higher rate of transmission during a woman’s period than during other times of the month. Is the rate that much higher? Probably not. But it’s still something to consider. HIV and AIDS of course, do have a higher rate of transmission during a woman’s period due to direct blood to semen and semen to blood contact. Other sexually transmitted dieseases and infections can be passed from a woman to a man during her period more easily than if she is not on her period, because the organisms that cause STD’s tend to love a warm, moist environment and can multiply faster during that time of the month.

Being Safe

With all things considered, if you don’t want to conceive a child or transmit or contract an STD, it’s important to take steps to keep yourself safe at all times, no matter what time of the day, month or year it is. Simply having sex with your partner while she’s on her period isn’t going to prevent pregnancy alone, and avoiding sex with a woman on her period isn’t going to eliminate your risks of contracting an STD. Learn how to be safe, and learn how to make smart sexual decisions that will keep you and your partner happy and healthy – and kid-free if you want it that way.

Don’t know how to buy a condom, or which condoms are the best to use? Check out our Condoms 101 video mini-series. Everything you need to know about buying a condom, how to put a condom on and wearing a condom during sex!

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