Selling your birthright for a bowl of porridge

In these tough economic times, some people are being forced to sell possessions on craigslist or kijiji etc. for less than they paid for the items initially. Furniture, computers, electronics, the "extra" vehicle, all are being considered as a way to make it through the month, making the rent and credit card payments.

But what went into those credit cards? Fast food, coffee drinks, a night at the movies, snacks and impulse stuff. In the end we may have to sell something valuable and more important to pay for our poor impulsive decisions to buy a "bowl of porridge" (Juice instead of water, snacks at high prices at the gas station, movies instead of waiting for the DVD or better yet, reading a book or enjoying family time)

I don't mean to cheapen the traditional moral of that story, which is that we should be careful not to trade away things eternal for the frivolous "now", but the real-life economic metaphor can perhaps serve as a reinforcement of that same principle.