Cash Cow

Anna Gregoline | July 28, 2004
Here's an interesting question:

What changes would occur in your way of life if you were forced to live in a cash economy?

Scott Hardie | July 29, 2004
None, assuming the utility companies arranged for a way to be paid in cash. As an added bonus, I'd worry a lot less about identity theft.

Anna Gregoline | July 29, 2004
I wouldn't be in debt. I pay for so much crap on the credit card. Of course, my relationship with Jesse would have died (airplane tickets) and I wouldn't get to go out to dinner as much. Oh, and I probably couldn't have paid my medical bills of the past year at all. As it is, I still have a bunch past due and I'm thinking of throwing it on the card so I don't get bill collectors threatening to take my health back...

Jackie Mason | July 29, 2004
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Melissa Erin | July 29, 2004
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Anna Gregoline | July 30, 2004
Yeah, Jackie, you're right. If I didn't have a credit card, I wouldn't have what I have now in terms of material possessions (and possibly my relationship, who knows), but I wouldn't be in debt, and I would probably be happier because of it. Since that stuff wouldn't be attainable (cameras, DVD players), I would just deal with it, or appreciate it more cause it took a long time to get it.

Scott Hardie | July 31, 2004
Credit is a valuable tool for helping us get what we need, like a house and a car, when we cannot yet afford them. But it only makes us poorer in the long run, as we pay much more for these things than we would if all at once, and we don't value them as much as we should.

John Viola | August 9, 2004
Well said Scott. I actually think credit is the life support of our economy and if we didn't have it we would see how truly poor most people are. I would rather not have credit in our economy, and re-work the economy into something managable and sustainable.

Given our current economic setup, the only credit I want to deal with is a mortgage and perhaps a car loan. Other than that I like to pay my bills (credit card, etc) every month. Unfortunately, we currently carry a balance every month, and it is very difficult to reduce that to zero and actually build up a savings account. Every time we make any headway it seems those little unexpected things in life occur and cost more money. Of course we most likely live beyond our means since that is the case.

Jackie Mason | August 9, 2004
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Anna Gregoline | August 10, 2004
I am slowly building a debt in my accounts. =(

Melissa Erin | August 10, 2004
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John Viola | August 11, 2004
Agreed Melissa. Just two months out of work for me and it set us back over a year in saving!