@ccole93 wrote:I guess, if learning involves racking up more debt than your income in a year. Pretty abysmal way to "learn".
Noone said it's RIGHT...we're talking about where the fear of credit cards comes from...and that's where a lot of the fear comes from, from getting into trouble, from learning the hard way. Good on you for being Mr. Perfect, but some people aren't.
@mnosal9 wrote:I was never educated on credit. They should teach credit in high school. I messed up my credit in 07-08 because I had no idea what I was doing, and thought ooohh free money, then when it was time to pay it back I had the "oh **bleep**" expression. Now thanks to this forum, I have a better credit rating and have improved my finances. I am more responsible now more than I have ever been with money. Now I debate what card to use each month depending on the rewards I want.
I totally agree that high schools should teach some kind of course on money and credit card management, even if it is for only one semester.
Listen, I agree with all of that...you SHOULD learn before you try. But many, many people aren't taught before they try. And that leads to trouble, which leads to fear (the topic of this thread)...but also leads to a better understanding. I never said it was the right way to go about things, but I think it is a very common thing.
There are a LOT of people on this forum that have gone through exactly that, and are better off now.
To say that they never should have had a credit card in the first place is unfair. Should they have been taught better before hand, absolutly.
But to say otherwise...all those people in that unfortunate situation right now on this forum, is probably just making them even more scared.
Exactly my thoughts, TrulyyBlessed.
And toothgrind3r, I'm a female, so I would be Miss Perfect.
@eagle2013 wrote:Experience screwing up my credit when I was 18 was the best teacher. Thankfully it didnt get to the level of bankruptcy, but it was just enough for me to be responsible and diligent with my credit from here on out. I completely agree that credit should be a required competency of sorts for high school students. However, I also think there is value in screwing up a little and learning from them without mommy or daddy bailing you out. I get so inspired going through the rebuilding forum - a lot of character in there.
Yeah, people could tell my younger self over and over and over what I should do, and my younger self probably would not have listened.
And of course, unfortunatly, I didn't have mommy and daddy to teach me the ways of credit. And yeah, I messed up. And I learned a LOT. More then any high school class would have taught me. Way more.
That's my situation.
Now if Miss. Perfect was the credit lender, she would have never given me a credit card, and where would I be now? Without any credit, without any knowledge, without any life lessons (having to do with credit)
Yeah, a little isn't a big deal and can be a good learning experience. My parents told me from the getgo that they would never bail me out of credit card debt.
I'm more thinking of the people who get to $75,000 in CC debt they can't repay. That's not a "learning experience" any more. That's terrifying, and good research/careful spending are imperative to make sure that doesn't happen. My father has nearly perfect credit and has never owned a card in his life, simply because he doesn't trust himself with one. Worked out great for him. My mother has had credit cards most of her adult life and had a few bad experiences with debt that didn't teach her anything more than my dad already knew. He never needed to default or screw up to know they weren't for him. And my mom still hasn't really learned...
These are my experiences. I'm not saying I'm perfect, I'm just an incredibly cautious, frugal person. That's all. So you can stop sarcastically calling me "Miss Perfect", because there's no need for aggression or rudeness.
@ccole93 wrote:These are my experiences. I'm not saying I'm perfect, I'm just an incredibly cautious, frugal person. That's all. So you can stop sarcastically calling me "Miss Perfect", because there's no need for aggression or rudeness.
You're right, I apologize.