'Tis the season of fractured frugality!

When it comes to saving money, the high point of my year is the December "Best of Everything" issue of SmartMoney magazine. The 2007 issue, which arrived over the weekend, exceeded previous issues in helping me hone my frugality.

The feature article identifies nine "splurges you deserve" for your holiday season. First off, the Best of Plasma TVs. And the winner is ... a Panasonic 50-inch model for the bargain price of $3,499. Bargain price? But of course! One of the runners-up was the Pioneer Elite PureVision at the outrageous price of $4,999. See? Two minutes into the magazine and I've already saved $1,500!

Oh yes, the Best of Men's Dress Watches.... Perhaps it's time to upscale my Cassio digital (Walmart price of $15.99). SmartMoney's all-round favorite is Tourneau Presidio Power Reserve GMT at $3,450. Yikes! There goes most of my savings, since I might have selected the also-ran Montblanc TimeWalker at a bargain $2,150. My gains have suddenly shrunk to $200.

But wait! Here's just the ticket for improving my finances and appearance. What's a new dress watch without one of the Best of Men's Cashmere Sweaters. SmartMoney likes the $495 Lora Liana, which is an incredible value compared to the $795 Dolce & Gababana cardigan I'd been hinting about for Christmas. I can breathe a little easier with my savings now at $500.

Next up? Oh wow! This is just too wonderful — the Best of Road Bicycles! I've been drooling over an Orbea Opal carbon frame cobalt blue beauty for $3,600. But thanks to SmartMoney, I'm going instead with the Look 555 Origin, at $2,999. I get a French-made full carbon frame and add another $601 to my savings. Running total: $1,101.

This is getting better and better!

Ok, now where's the beef, the Best of beef? Stupid me, I would have plunked down $80 a pound for Lobel's Natural Prime instead of SmartMoney's pick, Niman Ranch's USDA Prime Filet at $63 per pound. So my 10-pound order nets me another $170. My money in the bank now stands at $1,271.

And to precede that fine steak dinner, let's pop the cork on the Best of Champagnes. Once again, SmartMoney put dollars in my pocket! Naturally I recognize the name Dom Pérignon, and here's a 1996 Rosé at $400 a bottle. But SmartMoney convinced me to go with the Salon Le Mesnil 1996 at $350. So for a case of 12, I've saved another $600, which brings my savings to $1,871.

Now, here's a sigh of relief! With the economizing I've achieved with my new dress watch, fine cardigan sweater, and carbon frame road bike, I was wondering how my wife could contribute to our savings. Problem solved! I would have bought her the Giorgio Armani scarf at a pricy $440. That's another name I definitely recognize. He's one of the three tenors, right? But SmartMoney's Best of Silk Scarves led me to the Hermes Classic Square at $325. Another $115 in the bank! Running total now comes to $1,986.

Figuring out all these ways to save is really hard work! I'd say we need a vacation. And here we go — the Best of Winter Adventures! The honor goes to a weeklong stay at the Lake Placid Lodge in the Adirondack Mountains: $4,480 per couple. What a deal! Like an idiot, I probably would have selected the runner-up Abercrombie & Kent 12-day Classic Antarctica Cruise at $6,190 (but I really loved that penguin movie). OK, I'll trade the penguins for a cozy Adirondacks fireplace, especially since my savings will skyrocket to $3,696.

Of course, what's a vacation in the Adirondacks without the Best of Spa Bathrobes. SmartMoney likes the $650 Cotton Piqué Spa Robe by Léron. Rats! I had my eye on the D. Porthault Signature Robe at the budget price of $450. But wait! I'll buy just one for us to share. So what if it's a little big for her; she appreciates my budget consciousness. One robe at $650 instead of two at $450 each — Ka-ching! How's that for turning a loss into a gain! I'm up another $200 in savings, for a grand total of $3,946.

My SmartMoney subscription certainly provides outstanding value. It's sharpened my frugality by helping me save thousands while acquiring the finest of luxuries. And, best of all, if I cut back on Starbucks until Christmas (which will really be tough), I could probably boost my savings to $4,000! Maybe there's an IRA contribution in my future after all!

PS: At the time of publication, Doug didn't own any of the items mentioned in this article. In fact, given a choice between a weekend at the Shopping Mall and a root canal, he'd head for his dentist, who keeps copies of SmartMoney in the waiting room.