About 5 yrs. ago I finally got in the position of having paid off the few credit cards I have. Nice.
I still use them. There are certain advantages to using them, ie. warranties, disputes.
But I pay them off at the end of the month.
After awhile you get into the mindset of whether you have the money to buy something or not. You forget about installments.
Good for you! Feels great, doesn't it?
>>Live a debt-free life. Nothing finer. Learn patience and restraint.
It’s a shame we can’t get most of the country to live by that simple rule. But they believe in the media’s version of “the American Dream” which is to “own all the stuff”.
You just can’t explain to them that sitting in an empty house but being free of government, banks, and most of all debt, is the real dream.
You even see it in church when some guy is saying that he can’t afford to tithe because there just isn’t enough money and his 8 year old has a $100/month iPhone 4S (because the 4 just didn’t have enough features, of course!).
I’ve got my basic supplies stored up, so this year I am focusing on my debt. I’m not putting any more in my retirement account until I get the credit card (which I haven’t used in forever, but which still carries a balance too large for comfort) paid off. I’d rather pay it now and not save for retirement than have to pay it in retirement with what little I’ve saved. (That is... assuming I’ll ever get to retire.) Besides, who wants to add more money into a rigged market and 401K system that they’ll end up stealing anyway?
To Max out your credit card seems to be a badge of honor in today’s society. Only nerds pay their cards in total at the end of the month. I’m a nerd, thank you, but a nerd without debt. Let’s teach the kids that Heather has two mommies but let’s not teach them anything useful like debt management.