I suspect some who think so highly of themselves for lack of debt actually make better money than most of those with considerable debt. More than some heroic self disciplne they exercised its more about that they make enough to pay cash for everything..
I do not hold that against them at all. But the gloating is unbecomming if they do not consider their means are above others.
"I do not hold that against them at all. But the gloating is unbecomming if they do not consider their means are above others."
Actually, they do consider their means being more than most, and consider those who don't make as much as they do as being stupid, or lazy, or both.
There is much good advice here. Credit cards are evil. They are a good tool, but they are a power tool. Power tools, used incorrectly can injure you severely!
It's just that, in general, there is an extremely large helping of condescention with the advice.
And just how do you think they got to make better money in the first place?
That cash comes from not paying "interest". When you stop using credit, you will be amazed how much money you really have.
Consider the government pays a third of a trillion dollars a year in debt support. Wouldn't you like to have that back in the economy?
The other sister and her husband are good people, but have lived beyond their means and are now dancing with diaster. Add to that, the financially troubled sister has a pinched nerve which she claims makes her unable to work. I don't know the amount of pain she is in, but she could be telling the truth.... or there maybe some fudge in her claims of not being able to. Hubby works in a commisioned job that sometimes causes long hours and little pay.
The husband got very upset during our conversations on how my wife and I and the other sister and brother in law were going to bust out of our financial situations. BTW, my wife does work (we don't have children at home), as well as I and I also work a part time job. We make less than $100k per year, not big money, but we also recognize that we have been blessed in many ways.
I've always have been careful with my money. My wife, (this is a second marriage) was more like her financially troubled sister and brother in law when we married and I've been working with her to set financial priorities. Over the past month she has began to see the light. Her sister and brother in law however have so used the easy money trail that they are now backed into a corner and the depression from this is literally tearing them apart. Plus, sadly, they got other issues that need dealt with.
Hogwash! If we had one more kid, we'd qualify for free school lunches, free medical, and tax credit. We've always been right there teetering on the fence - not enough money to get ahead, but too much to mooch off the government. The house is paid for and the only debt we have is my vehicle. It's all about budgeting and knowing the difference between a want and a need.