December 7, 2010
Changing the Way We think About Debt Across the Country
Terms like, “you have to spend money in order to make money” and statements like, “debt is just a tool to prosperity” are just myths that get people into serious financial trouble. Before the recession hit, people wouldn’t even think about using a prepaid debit card, especially when they could get so much more with their credit card. If we glance back on the nation’s reliance on credit cards we will be able to see how we ended up with a struggling economy.
Let’s look at the marketing tactics used by huge corporations to convince people that they needed to buy more things in order to be happy. This idea turned into the idea that the more things you have, the richer you look, and you will move up to a higher status than your peers. Other tactics were designed to convince people that life without certain products would be unbearable, and the level of enjoyment or comfort that item was worth any ridiculous price that would be attached to it.
Then we can take a look at the big banks that spent billions of dollars each year trying to convince us that we all need to borrow more money. The marketing tactics from banks helped us to believe that we could have whatever we wanted now and pay for it “later.” So, in a nut shell, we the consumers became accustomed to the idea that it was fine to spend money we don’t have, on stuff we don’t need, and the idea of paying for it “later” was just a concept we pushed to the back of our minds.
Being in a constant state of debt meant people never understood the distinction between wants and needs. When “later” finally came it was time to pay up and our debt became a reality, but where was the money? It wasn’t there because we never had it in the first place! So what was the solution? For many, it was to spend our way out of debt. Unfortunately, lenders were willing to let their customers continue to fall deeply into debt. But where were the banks getting all this money from? When banks ran out of money, and everything came to a screeching halt. That’s when the country felt the crushing impact of government bailout. This sent our country into a tailspin of recession that the government is still trying to spend its way out of.
As consumers we lost our cars, homes, credit, jobs, and our lives as we knew them. All the while the solution was always there. Don’t spend money you don’t have in the first place. It’s a simple idea but it works. Using cards like a Ready debit prepaid debit card is a way for people to be in control of their financial situation.
The truth is debt brings on enough risk to offset any advantage that could be gained. With all the companies trying to convince us to spend more money in order to be happy, we have forgotten that being debt free will actually bring incredible peace and tranquility in life. Getting accustomed using prepaid cards, and not spending money you don’t have is a much safer way to develop spending habits. In the end you can’t put a price on the peace of mind it will bring you to be debt free!
Want to find out more about using prepaid credit card? then check out Ready Debit at http://www.readydebit.com to find your solution to financial stability.
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