Americans’ credit card debt levels have just notched a new, but undesirable, milestone: For the first time ever, they’ve surpassed $1 trillion, according to data released Tuesday by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

    • Betty White In HD
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      62 years ago

      I wonder how many people got duped into hearing the recent “consumer spending up, unemployment low!” news and just started spending more because things are good again. Probably a big chunk.

      • @[email protected]
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        52 years ago

        I’ve lived through enough financial crises that constantly hearing that (“Low unemployment! Go spend money! It’s fiiiiine, everything is GREAT!”) for the past year has made me a nervous wreck.

      • @[email protected]
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        22 years ago

        Consumer spending is up. Unemployment is low. Wages are up. Inflation is down.

        That said, no one should choose to spend based on that. People should choose to spend based on their own personal financial security.

    • @[email protected]
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      22 years ago

      What qualifies as reckless though? I mean, I needed to use my CC for a German vacation. I don’t have $3k idly sitting around.

      Seeing the world and going on vacation is a necessity, otherwise what’s the purpose of life?

      • @[email protected]
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        22 years ago

        I would say depends on how often you are taking $3k for vacation and how long it takes to pay it back. If you are taking vacation more often than you can pay back, then that’s reckless.