reply to post by elevatedone
Sorry, Elev.
Yes, I have a mortgage and several credit cards and I don't have any trouble with them. They are always paid on time and so forth.
But there ARE abuses of the system, and people do get taken advantage of. I personally don't want to paint all creditors with a broad brush, but I
could have done a lot better with some guidance and advice when I was younger.
Quite a few credit card companies are doing some things that I personally find reprehensible, not the least of which is encouraging people to stay in
debt by making the minimum payment. I get at least two offers from each of my cards every month, from low interest cash advances to no-fee "checks"
to balance transfer offers. They're practically
begging me to use their card and get further in debt, and they don't care a bit whether I can
actually afford it or not. In fact, last year one of my cards attempted to charge me a $59 annual fee because I
didn't use it!
Okay, so maybe we won't all be on the same side.

The perspective of someone on the "inside" could be very useful too, and I don't think
anyone is suggesting that a consumer credit forum would be all about "you've spent too much on your credit cards, oh dear, let's try to help you
avoid the consequences of your own behavior." I'm sure there will be some people in that situation, but we can offer suggestions and guidance
without always painting the lender as the "bad guy."