In reporting these observations, however, the Bureau is mindful that they are drawn from a non-random sample of roughly 5,000 credit card consumers.
First, many complaints show consumers struggling to understand the terms of credit cards and associated products like debt protection services. These show a mismatch between consumer understanding and product function or issuer practice.
There is a good reason for this. Credit cards are a scam. Credit is another word for debt. Once people grasp that simple fact the light seems to go on. Credit cards are for suckers. Live on a cash and carry basis. Your lifestyle may not be on par with the neighbor who has a house twice the size of yours, three cars, the new boat and huge flat screen TVs in all the bedrooms. But that same neighbor is probably leveraged up to his eyebrows with a mortgage, car payments and maxed out credit cards. And he is likely no more than a paycheck from financial ruin.
Live within (or ideally below) your means. Always be salting money away. And avoid debt like the plague that it is. You will sleep better and probably be happier.
A big surprise indeed. In other breaking news, the sun came up in the east this morning…
For a long time people used to think that used car salesmen were the scum of the earth and the least trustworthy folk in business. However, personally, I think that dubious distinction really belongs to the credit card industry. When Thomas Aquinas railed against usury back in the 13th century, he had no idea how some 7 or 8 centuries later credit card operations would engage in a blatant form of usury far worse than anything he ever saw.
David Handy+