Back in the good ol’ days, there was no such thing as a credit card. The closest you could come was asking Mr. Barnes behind the counter if he could add your sugar and flour to your tab. This transaction was handled face to face. Mr. Barnes knew where you lived, and he also knew your circumstances. He knew when you’d be able to pay, and because you sat across from him in church every Sunday, you made sure you paid.
Today, credit is as easy to get as falling off a log. In fact, it’s easier to find a credit card application than it is to find a log. And when you get up to the cash register, you can just pull out that little piece of plastic, and suddenly, money has no meaning.
Have you ever noticed that? When you pay with cash, you’re acutely aware of how much you paid for each item. But when you pay with a credit card, it doesn’t seem to matter. You enter a fantasy land where nothing is real, where there is no accountability, where you can have whatever you want with a flick of the wrist. And with this month’s special, you get a discount on your monthly payment. You aren’t even aware of how much you really owe until you find yourself over the limit.
Even worse than getting into debt, this is the main reason why I dislike credit cards. They take the reality out of the situation. They lull you into thinking you can afford more than you can. They make it so easy. You don’t have to wait until payday to get those cute jeans. You can have them now, and pay off the card when you get your check! But when your check comes, you spend it on something else. That’s all right … the card will wait. After all, you only have to pay a percentage of what you owe. You’ll catch it the next time around, and everything will be okay.
The commercials for credit card companies know that we enter these realms of fantasy, and they use it in their advertising. The next time you see a commercial for a credit card, notice how happy everyone seems. They have everything they want, and they seem secure and protected. They have cute clothes, and they have the boyfriend or the girlfriend and the great car. They represent everything we hope to attain, and they can sleep peacefully at night, knowing their card is watching out for them.
But beware … no card is watching out for you. That is part of the fantasy.
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