A Very Quiet Christmas

The newspapers say it all..

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Things are not that good out there. The economy, whether the politicians belize it or not, is really dragging. Correction, it is shot to hell. I know that my business is about 50% behind where it was this time last year.

Why is this?

Well, there are many many reasons, but the biggest has to be, in my opinion, the ever encircling mass of credit card debt. People who used to pay with cash, all now have credit cards (sold to them as dreams by the banks), and these people don't know how to use the credit cards responsibly. They pay the $5 A&R bill, the $40 fry steak Chon Saan charge, and even their car insurance with it. All these folks, rich and poor, are living beyond their means, not paying the full monthly balance because it is the easy way out and to them not real money. Let it ride, it is just a monthly piece of paper, not money disappearing out of my account.

Yes, the banks are responsible for issuing the leash of debt to us, but consumers are just as guilty. We are all guilty of allowing the dreams of a materialistic society to take hold of our card in our pocket and lead us to Mirab or to American Airlines. We'll deal with the debt later we think, and as the procrastinating society that we are, we will pay that tomorrow, or after that next payday.

We'll like the USA. Later has now arrived. Tomorrow is here for our cashless society. And while I can tell you, my fellow blogophiles,  that all my credit cards have a zero balance, my banker friends will tell you that my status makes up less than 5% of the credit card using population.

The banks don't care as long as you make that 22% monthly payment. They want you out there on their leash. 

It is time to go back to the days of paying for creole bread with coins, and gas with the notes we get from our accounts. The sooner we sever our dependence from the ease of the credit card guillotine, then better and richer off we will be.

Gimme shilling.

P.S. Let me be the first to wish everyone out there a prosperous and happy holiday time. We hope next year brings us continued good health, good times and good blogs!