About Movie

Many Americans are addicted to credit. That's one of the reasons we are in such a financial mess right now. Those who are under the power of this addiction need to begin the process of breaking free - and the sooner the better. Getting started is the key, so one must start somewhere, even if it is a very modest or seemingly insignificant step. Like they say, "a journey of 1000 miles begins with the first step." But where can one begin their quest to break a credit addition?

I say it should start with discretionary items - things that are not necessities of life. These things include that morning cup of coffee from Starbucks, between-meal snacks (which are not good for most people anyway), entertainment expenses like tickets to movies and sporting events, restaurant food (including fast food and takeout), and vacations. A person should initiate the use of cash-only terms for these kinds of things, if that is not already their policy. That means that if one does not have the cash to purchase such items, he or she can't afford them and will just have to do without them. No credit card or any other form of credit will be used to acquire them - period.

Of course, this is going to involve a little discipline and self-denial. At the office where I used to work, there was poster on the wall that read, "Denial is a not a river in Egypt." Instead, it is a way of life. Those who are unable to deny themselves, i.e., cannot resist the temptation to use credit for discretionary items, will fail this first simple test and will quickly fall by the wayside. Professional credit counseling will be necessary for them.

Those who pass this test, however, will be one step closer to ending their credit addition. By successfully starting with the little things, one begins to develop a pay-as-you-go attitude and will soon be on the way to applying it to the bigger stuff.