[ceejayoz]

> The attitude of renting or getting a loan for any consumer item is financial suicide.

When we moved into our house, we bought all our furniture on a zero-interest, four year loan. It made a lot of financial sense to pay a fairly low monthly payment and have the large amount of money available for investments.

[mikeash]

Similarly, I nearly got a zero-interest loan on the car I bought last year, but we changed our minds at the last minute when it turned out there was a nice hidden discount for paying up-front.

I think better phrasing would be that needing to rent or get a loan for any consumer item is a bad idea. It's fine to take out a loan if you have the cash anyway but find it advantageous to hold onto it, but if you're relying on future income to buy the stuff now, it's a sign of trouble.