Convenience is Failing Us

Americans are sinking in debt a little more with every day that passes. I cannot answer for anyone in particular, or a group as a whole, but only as a person with too much experience on this topic.

In a previously posted article, (How to handle rejection in the mortgage process) I explained how I had no debt when I first tried to purchase my home. I was informed that I must incur debt to show that I could pay back money borrowed, so I went into high-dollar debt with all of my credit cards.

This debt did not take long to accumulate because I have two special-needs dog-children, an old house, medical expenses, and outrageous fuel prices to pay as a commuter. When all else fails, Christmas happens. Then there are the smaller items. When I go to a bookstore, that little section of pastries and coffee beckons my name. I have to stop for groceries at the super center on the way home. The Walton family had a great idea in mind for creating super centers. If someone needs a handful of groceries, they easily can exit the store with a hundred dollars worth of clearance items they found while strolling through the store.

It isn't anyone's fault that banks have caught on to the idea that no one wants to carry cash they can be killed for carrying. Automatic Teller Machines are everywhere you look, and card swiping machines are at every cash register for our convenience. When we had to write checks, or pay cash for our purchases, we didn't seem to overspend as much as we do now. Could it be a matter of convenience that gets us out of control?

It didn't seem so bad at first. I had a job and was able to meet those small payments, plus a little extra to add to them. But one day, the US President got involved with the credit card companies campaign to annihilate the worker bees that had accumulated substantial credit card debt. I don't know that President Bush was intentionally trying to hurt the folks who needed it least, but trying to teach others a lesson', those who abuse the system, only got smarter on how to handle the situation of non-payments.

Our bankruptcy laws are an important part of the safety net of America, creating a fresh start for those who need it most. Sometimes bad things happen to good people and there is no way to avoid filing. But we have to also remember, if someone does not pay their debts, the rest of us end up paying them. (News Release, 2005)

Bankruptcy that had once seemed like a recreational pastime

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