[freedom2097]

It seems that Americans have a serious issue with debt. I'm Italian and I live in France... and there are only 2 things I would get in debt for: a car (only if strictly necessarily) and a house. Nothing else. If you do not have the money for something just wait till you have saved enough to buy it without getting in "financial peril". My golden rule is to always spend as if you had only a third of the money you actually have... and thx to it now (just got 30) I could live with my savings for at least 2 years without working at all maintaining the same lifestyle. An emergency of 2000$ (or euros) is really no big deal.