Does Every American Carry Credit Cards?
A Spotlight on Credit Cards
Credit cards are popular and they can certainly make provide convenience to our over-scheduled and hectic lives. In the U.S., we are bombarded with credit card advertisements on television and it doesn’t seem like you can get your luggage at a major airport without someone pushing a credit card offer. So, are we abusing credit cards here in America, or is the trend really not as bad as it seems?
One in Five
The fact is that about one fifth of American households don’t have credit cards and that even includes department store credit cards. That seems like a lot of people, considering most of us think that everyone carries credit cards of one kind or another.
Credit cards can certainly be useful. Not having to carry around a lot of cash does help when your car breaks down in a not so desirable section of the city and it’s much easier to pull a credit card out to pay for your purchases at the grocery store, mall, or hair salon.
That being said, there are some people who understand that credit cards aren’t a requirement for a happy life. In fact, there are some individuals who simply refuse to get a credit card at all.
A Boycott on Credit Cards?
So am I suggesting that we don’t really need credit cards after all and that we should all start a boycott? Absolutely not. I’m just saying that if some people can live without credit cards altogether, you can definitely get by without using them every day.
While it’s true that having credit cards is a great way to establish your credit history, you don’t have to max your cards out just because you have them and you definitely shouldn’t be spending more than you can afford to pay off at the end of the month.