That was me about 11 years ago. Footloose and fancy free. Using my cards like I was a millionaire or something. Got into trouble when the bills started coming in and it was either shelter/food/transportation or credit cards. The credit cards (as well as my credit score) got thrown under the bus. Man oh man, I'd give anything if I knew then what I've learned in just the past month.
What's sad is that people in their late teens and early 20's and even beyond see that commercial and get the idea that you can get things for nothing....since they obviously don't show her struggling to pay the bills and make ends meet. I personally think that credit should be taught in the senior year of high school in great depth with detailed examples from people whose scores range all the way from 300-850. The benefits and consequences of every last single action needs to be studied over and over and over again.
Let's face it, a lot of people struggle with credit issues judging from the many sites devoted to credit repair so it's kind of hard for a parent to pass on credit knowledge to their children when they struggle with it themselves. My parents always stressed that bills had to be paid on time but even they weren't (and still aren't) well versed in all the ins and outs of this horrible complicated game. On the other hand, they did give me the #1 basic principle - pay all bills on time all the time. Unfortunately they didn't tell me what a gawdawful mess I'd get into if I didn't which is why I'm here today.