Letters to the Editor
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"Can't afford" means "Shouldn't buy"
I am in the same boat as the poster many pages back who learned good spending habits at his mother's knee. I'm not talking about the real tragedies of people who lose their jobs or have outrageous medical bills, but for all you young "I'm living in the city!!" hipsters, all you have to do is PAY CREDIT CARDS OFF IN FULL EACH MONTH. I can't imagine _not_ doing so. Carrying a charge along means you _can't afford_ what you're buying. "Can't afford" means "Shouldn't buy", not "Might as well finance at 23% interest"--why do people need so much extraneous crap? I'm no monk--I have friends, go out, wear clothes, listen to music, etc., but all at a level that I can afford to pay off each month, and it's NO BIG DEAL! None of my friends with the expensive handbags and latest cellphones and spa treatment appointments (and giant credit card debt) seem to think less of me for forgoing these things, and I certainly sleep a lot better at night!