The other day, I received a mail in a thick, blue envelope. I opened it and saw an information sheet, pamphlets, and other stuff. The main content is a glossy black credit card. Oh, dear! Some company was trying to induce me into having it activated. I was especially terrified (yes, terrified) by the credit limit indicated in the letter. P250,000! Woah! That limit... being offered to a non-working law student!
If I were the girl in the Shopaholic series, that day would have been the start of my calvary, swimming in the sea of debts. But I'm not... though I used to be. I remember getting addicted to purchasing on credit when I was still working. I ended up spending my salary for my bills, and then using that magic card again... so on and so forth. It was nothing but a "buy now, cry later" thing. I grew tired of the cycle and painstakingly tried to get out of it. Now I'm OK. Thanks to those who forced me to quit the addiction.
Now, upon seeing the new card, I must admit that a little portion of my brain wanted to use it. But the bigger one called conscience (or perhaps it's common sense), got me holding a pair of scissors, and here's how it looks like now! (distortion intentionally made)
I have another card that served me for more than 3 years. That's how it can be said, but in reality, it was me who served the company that provided it. It suffered the same fate just this morning.
I still have another one, but I only intend to use it for extreme emergencies (simple emergencies would not suffice). How will a newly-rehabilitated shopaholic do that? Simple. Sam keeps the card away from me. Any purchase to be made using that thing will be subject to thorough deliberation.
Yes, it felt good to be able to have the stuff you need even when you're short of cash, but it feels so much better to be free of debts. I'm choosing the better option.
I don't mean to offend credit card companies or people who use their cards extensively. It has benefits, and no one denies that. It's just that I personally don't want to drown into life-sucking interest rates anymore. Never again.
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