Avoiding Debt Like the Plague

The easiest way to avoid debt is never get into it in the first place, I'm told that I'm great at stating the obvious, but, obvious or not - it's advice that is, more likely, intentionally ignored; people do not want to give up the plastic - it's way too convenient.

I have friends that would "save the credit cards" before a cherished heirloom, their reasoning, "The heirloom is insured, but, we'll need the credit cards if we have an emergency" - seems an antique is disposible and holds no real sentimental value, but, they "REALLY" have an emotional attachment to plastic. While "emergency shopping" doesn't qualify as an emergency to me, I have friends and relatives that would vehemently disagree with me.

There has been countless books written on how to get out of debt, organizations and businesses have sprung up to fill the demand of an ever expanding population of people that need help getting out of debt.

I'm a little cynical about a business whose sole purpose is to get people out of debt, obviously if getting people out of debt actually worked - permanently - they wouldn't be in business very long. I'm sure if you start a business like this you're fairly confident that you will never run out of clientele; this is a market that will never go away(imho).

While the concept of credit is ingrained into our psyche, credit is a convenience issue and isn't absolutely necessary, though, if you listen to experts, credit scores, FICO scores and any other rating scale of your financial fitness is something you must absolutely be aware of and act on, "or you will be Shunned from society"... right, then I must be a financal leper for using cash.

The "I want it now!" mentallity is what will keep the credit card companies in business for generations to come, that's why I don't hold out much hope for people that have gotten out of debt to stay out of debt; the way I see it you have to reach people before they become mired in debt, to show them that a little bit of patients and some self control and they will be much happier with their put off purchase than the person that had to have it right now and slapped it on a credit card and is paying 21 percent interest.

If becoming an indentured servant to these credit lenders is appealing to you then by all means, go for it! We've been conditioned to go into debt for almost everytbing and to work longer hours or work more than one job to pay for the convenience - and this is the good life!?

They say there is "good debt"; where you invest borrowed money to make more money, concept sounds good, but if it were true, in all cases, then I think we'd all be rich with way too much time on our hands and our only concern would be how to shelter our enormous wealth... uh huh.

Statistics point to the fact that the average household is 4000 to 6000 dollars in debt, doesn't look like most of us are very good at making money with money, but, we excel at impulse buying, it could surpass baseball as the national pasttime!

So, none of this is going to help people already in debt, it definately won't inspire them in anyway, but, for those of you who haven't fallen yet maybe you'll want to heed the advice of someone who has to learn everything the "HARD WAY". Happiness is never having to say I.O.U.

About The Author-- Husband and father, one time itinerate merchant and story gatherer, that has settled down to live the simple life and recount some of the experiences that have led me here. Author and Admin. at homestead articles .

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