Why is America in debt? Well the reason is we were reared in a system that encourages debt. We are always taught to pursue the American dream and sometimes this comes at the expense of the American dream. We try so desperately to accumulate and acquire those things we want and not what we need. There is also a tendency to keep up with our fellow man and get what he has. It's almost like a competition. These things happen later in life but what helps to propel us in that direction is society and the media. Advertisers are always out to pursue our dollars and they come up with the catchy trendy phrases and commercials to entice us to spend our hard earned money on things we may not normally have bought.

Another factor centers around the fact that we were not taught how to manage money or achieve financial independence in schools, including colleges and universities. Everyone should be required to take some sort of credit counseling course or class as well as a financial management class, even if you are not in any type of financial distress. This should happen before we have become engulfed and swallowed up by the system. We should do this before we have been bombarded with the enticements of society trying to forge a wedge between us and our money.

The importance of saving, versus spending should be encouraged and taught in our school systems all across America. If we don't we are likely to see more and more bankruptcies in spite of the new reforms that have made it harder to file. If we don't stress these important facts to our leaders of tomorrow they and their son's and daughters will never know what it is like or how to achieve financial independence. America will continue to be encompassed with a serious debt load that keeps us from seeing the light of day and never ever having the ability to bring our head above water. We will always worry about debt and never have peace of mind knowing that we have the ability to pay our bills.

Certain times of the season encourage us to spend our money. Most certainly the holidays are festive times and times to enjoy our families, to eat drink and be merry. It is a time of gift giving and just having fun. These things are great to do and they help us stay in touch with our families and keep the bonds in tack. However one should avoid going over board with the holiday spending. I have heard some say they purchased gifts for the holiday and by the time that holiday rolled around again the next year they were still paying off the debts from the previous year. We have to get rid of the might sight that society imposes o us that says it okay to spend your hard earned money which in essence keeps you from enjoying a happy and prosperous life.

Learn more about this author, Melvin Richardson.
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