‘Debt’termined to spend…

I never got a chance to watch American television when I was working on my Masters. Neither did I have a credit card for most of the time I was at school. Not that I regret either. The first is utter crap and the second I couldn’t afford! But it meant that I had no inkling about how much of this country ran on debt. Now I have both and hence I know…
Buying things you can’t afford, don’t need and will never use seems to be the mantra. So much so that people sell things in their original packaging in garage sales. Half the commercials on TV are about making you to buy anything from ‘doggie steps’ to fancy spas with music systems built in while the other half are about getting out of or dealing with debt and bankruptcy. But I sometimes wonder how these people get into so much debt in the first place. I have heard of and experienced the supermarket syndrome, but there is a limit right?! Why would I go spend another 1000 dollars when I know I haven’t paid back the earlier 10,000?!
But maybe I am not thinking like an American. Coz they would, and do spend. A current commercial for furniture goes, ‘Have you been rejected at other furniture stores due to bankruptcy? Come to us and we’ll say yes!’
Maybe… just maybe, if you are filing for bankruptcy, your primary concern isn’t really filling up that blank spot in your living room or buying a new bed! Maybe you should try and get the larder stocked so your kids won’t starve!

What a car!

Recently a friend of mine was planning to buy a used car. I was helping out in the search. This involved looking up sites of various dealers and calling them up to find out if they had any suitable vehicles. One such call transpired as follows:
Me: Hello! I'm calling regarding a 1997 Toyota Corolla. Is the car still available?

Auto Woman: 1997 Corolla? Is it a used car?
Me: What!!!!!!!(In mind: No, it's been hanging around your showroom for the past 10 years!)
We later visited the showroom. It might interest some people to know that she was a blonde!