overheard

Part-timers at my job are often college students at my alma mater, and they all happen to sit right outside my office door and have (mostly irritating) conversations. I have to either shut the door or listen in.

Today, one "mature" one (because he's about to get married) was advising a younger one (who lives with his parents) on money. He was putting about everything he could into convincing this kid that he needs to get a credit card and he needs to buy things with it and then pay it off every month. Because, well, I guess the only thing that gives you a good credit score is buying things with a credit card. I bought this myth when I was his age.

I don't dispute that having a credit card may affect your credit in a good way, but the idea that you need credit cards and you need to buy things with them is a total cultural myth. Somewhere along the line this idea has become 'common knowledge' and now when the credit companies throw five offers a day into your mailbox you think signing up for half of them is a 'good thing' because of this myth that we've all bought into.

It pisses me off. Royally. You don't need a credit card, you can build credit without one, and you can save and earn more money by not falling into the trap of paying interest to credit card companies. You can buy online, purchase tickets, reserve hotel rooms with a debit card. No one NEEDS a credit card. Its a myth, and a money-sucking trap that could possibly haunt you the rest of your life. How does one start a billboard and commercial campaign to get that message out?

This "mature" kid told me that he lived primarily on his credit card for a full year, he tried telling me that he needed to. That it was the only thing he could do. I didn't have time to argue with him and I have the feeling he's the type that doesn't really hear anyway (very wise, you know). But dang, if you're at the point where you can't buy food unless you put it on a credit card, you darn well better stop doing whatever it is that's sucking away your money and start doing something that will create more income for you. (i.e. take off from school for a year or get a loan, and get a second job).

I'm sick of our culture creating a world in which people think this way.