Reply #9: I had to learn about credit cards the hard way

[Lydia Leftcoast]

My current debt is not insupportable, but I'm paying it off as fast as possible. My car is a 13-year-old hand-me-down from a relative. I do not own a house, and my furniture is sparse and old. I do spend on books, CDs, and clothes, although not nearly as much as I used to, and I pay with checks or a debit card.

My credit card is now strictly for emergencies, with emergencies defined very strictly. Wanting something is not an emergency.

I know that a lot of people are struggling and have no apparent way out of their financial hole. One of my cousins is in that fix right now, under-employed and socked with medical expenses.

However, I also know people who think that they NEED an expensive car, NEED a big house, and NEED brand-new furniture and appliances when they can't really afford them.

By the way, that Frontline program was excellent, proving that the credit card industry is even more despicable than I thought it was. If I were teaching a high school consumer economics class, I'd make this program required viewing.