Nov
28

So I’m responsible for the money in the house. I balance the check register, pay the bills, etc. So I am the one that reads money books and surfs money sites.

And the money sites piss me off. So I go to check out the MSN money site as it is the site most folks visit. And there is an ad on the front page that pops up from Bank of America offering to give you a loan. It says something like “What would you do with $25,000, $50,000, or $75,000?” Do you realize how badly Americans are in debt? Matt and I are no exception. And I’m not talking about debt that makes sense like a house loan or a student loan. I’m talking about credit card debt and unsecured bank loans like the one that advertisement was offering.

We get junk mail as well that does the same thing. I received two in one day. The one I remember better was from Wells Fargo. It said stuff like “We want to help you with your financial future” and then went on to offer low apr loans with the equity in your house as collateral. Putting a lien on your house so you can buy stuff you can’t truly afford — that is how they are going to help you with your financial future?!! And the way they word it. “We want to help you.” That isn’t helping anyone but themselves. It should say, “Put your financial future at risk so we can make money off you.”

Anyways, it just pisses me off. So many people, young people in particular, don’t know much about money. That’s how Matt and I got ourselves into the debt that we are in today. We were clueless about money, and we mortgaged away our financial security (and a bit of our happiness because financial security makes you feel safer and therefore happier) to buy stuff on credit — stuff we couldn’t afford and didn’t truly need. We just wanted that stuff which is a terrible reason. And these banks and credit card companies feed off that naivete like vultures — like ugly, scary vultures wearing suits and masks of smiling business men. “Oh, look at that one who just walked in — a young man of 25 who is about to get married. This will be too easy…”

They need to teach money management in schools. These 18-year-olds graduate from high school and head into their financial future like lambs to the slaughter.



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