Help Out on MLK Day -- Take An Associate to Lunch!

Let me say it up front -- I love Melanie Damian (Chris, you're ok, too).

I even like Pete Valori.

And that's why I want everyone reading this blog to take this associate of theirs out to lunch:

Even though Russell Landy, 26, has a good job as an associate at Damian & Valori, a downtown Miami law firm, he notices a new frugality creeping into his spending decisions.

He goes out to lunch less often and chooses cheaper restaurants for dinner with his girlfriend or forgoes dessert at more expensive eateries. A big football fan, he decided earlier this month against spending $100 or more for a ticket to the Miami Dolphins playoff game.

When it comes to buying a new car to replace his 8-year-old Chevy Trailblazer, Landy's thriftiness shines through. He is shopping for a less expensive car than he otherwise could afford because he wants money for other purchases and to set aside for his retirement.

''You have the desire to get the nicest car you can possibly get, and while I'm in a relatively good financial situation and lucky to have a job, I'm looking to take one step down so maybe I'll have a little more disposable income for other stuff,'' said Landy, who bought a town house last year near Dadeland Mall.

Come on, lend a hand -- you don't want this hard-working, capable associate stuck at his desk at lunch, do you?

I tell you, I'm starting to get really ticked off at this whole economy thing.