Search Results for: blog living without credit cards

Five Signs that You Are Living Beyond Your Means

You could be living beyond your means and not realize it. Why is this a problem? Well, when we live beyond our means, we can quickly run up debt. This debt can snowball until it becomes hard to manage, a real crisis. That is why it is so important to recognize the early warning signs and make the changes that are necessary to get your finances back on track. Sometimes it seems as though you are supporting your lifestyle and don’t have a problem paying for anything. After all, your credit cards aren’t being turned down at the store, and … Continue reading →

Surviving without Credit Cards

Getting rid of all of your credit cards is one of the strongest messages you get when you are trying to get out of debt. The reason is that credit cards allow us to spend more money that we should, essentially taking out a loan at a very high interest rate that compounds and compounds and can easily get out of control. In previous generations, it would take a lot for someone to consider going in to debt for even something as substantial to quality of living as a house. Once credit cards came along, people were willing to go … Continue reading →

Credit Card Companies Can’t Bully Frugal People

In watching the Today Show Money 911 segment, I noticed a person ask what to do as a credit card company raised her rate to 29%. She always paid the credit card on time and had a zero balance. She seemed panicked. I was amused. Frankly I have no respect for credit cards, so I am looking at the question for a jaded point of view. I feel that credit got the nation into this trouble (the recession) in the first place, and so I don’t feel it is worth holding onto. To me, the easy answer to having the … Continue reading →

Don’t use credit cards, but still take loans?

A blog called I’ve paid for this twice already explains that anything purchased with credit cards is paid for again in interests, and maybe multiple times by the time the credit is paid off. Many of use have realized this and stopped using credit cards, but how many of us still take out loans and buy items on credit. Any kid on non-secured debt sucks extra money out of your pocket. Furniture loans, are financed by the stores and often through high risk programs that charge 10% or more interest for the honor of buying a sofa or entertainment center. … Continue reading →

Living without Credit Cards

It has been several years since I have used a credit card. It started after a long period of unemployment for my husband when we were just maxed out and I could not use them. As time went on and our situation loosened, I never really saw the need to begin using them again. If I wanted something, I used cash, (or a debit card), and never relied on money I didn’t have to buy anything. When I traveled to Los Angelos from GA last summer, I thought I was going to use credit to survive on my trip. I … Continue reading →

Frugal Living Week in Review: November 26th Through December 2nd

It is finally December. I can’t believe how quickly the time has gone by. It has been a year now, since I first started blogging here at Families.com in the Frugal Living Blog. A lot has happened in the world and in my own life. I continue to be in awe of anyone who practices a frugal lifestyle, and I have learned many different ways to save money. I can’t wait to learn even more. I hope that we can help each other in our efforts to save money and provide for our family. And now, here is the Frugal … Continue reading →

Would You Give Your Teenager a Credit Card?

Okay, it’s been mentioned at my house–my daughters have asked why “since several of their friends have credit cards,” I don’t get them one! And, I do recall the day I was standing in line at the bagel/coffee shop and a teenage girl whom I recognized as having played soccer with one of my daughters a few years back was buying her super soy latte mocha with a credit card. I had mixed feelings about it. I have mixed feelings about it. I’m eager to find out what the rest of you think… If I had my way, I would … Continue reading →

It Is All About Saving Not Sacrificing

I had a bit of a let down this week. My kids have been wanting a certain piece of furniture, one of those Love Sac things that is part chair and part trampoline. Their cousins have one, as do a number of their friends. So, we dutifully went over to the mall to check them out and had some serious sticker shock. The sacs cost anywhere from $500 to $1,000 each. Okay, that item was off the list. Every once in a while I check online to see if any used ones come up for sale. One did today, but … Continue reading →

Hurricane Sandy Relief Continues to Pour In

Hurricane Sandy happened almost a month ago, but the devastation it left in its path will take a long time to clean up. There are still about 120,000 people without power in New York and New Jersey, but that also includes homes there were too damaged to have power anyhow. If anything good came from this, it is the generosity of Americans. Some physically went to damaged areas while others gave what they could to help the victims. I already wrote about celebrities that gave to Hurricane Sandy relief, but it is worthy to note that Lady Gaga donated $1 … Continue reading →

Thrifty Tips for College Students

Whether you are a parent of a college student or you are a student yourself, you know that college is expensive. What you may not know, and what I wish that I knew when I was in college a few years ago, is that there are some things that you can save money on while you are in college which can add up to significant savings. That’s right, you can have more cash left in your pocket or less money borrowed from student loans and other sources if you do a few things a little differently. For example, when you … Continue reading →