Are you as appalled as I am?

[badgercat]

I'm not sure that I have anything super insightful to add to this conversation... i just wanted to add that ALL perspectives have been very interesting to read.

As an aside to the "savings" path this thread seems to be on now, though, put my name in the "twenty-something who understands the value of a dollar and hard work" column. Sadly, based on what I see in many people my age (and people not my age, for that matter), it's not a very long column.

Right now, I'm in debt for the first time in my life (unless you count when I borrowed money from my parents and grandpa to buy my first and only car), and it's one student loan taken out in my own name to help me pay for graduate school. I was able to take out a small loan thanks to the money I've been working for and SAVING since I started working in high school. Granted, I had a lot of financial help from my parents when I was in college, but that's what allowed me to put that money in the bank, which is allowing me to avoid the starving-grad-student stereotype now.

Too often, I see peers stiffing roommates on utility bill payments, not chipping in much for tip at a group dinner outing, or not offering gas money for a long drive because they're "broke," but thinking nothing of going out and spending $50 on a DVD box set the day it comes out or $100 on a new dress. I just can't relate to that. If I have the money to buy a new video game, I have AT LEAST that much money to donate to a charity or to shop at a local business instead of Wal-Mart or whatever.

Now, I'm no financial saint. I have my little spendy vices here and there... but the fact remains that I've been a credit-card holder for about 7 years now, and have NEVER ONCE charged more than I could pay off, in full, in that same month. It would never occur to me to spend money that I don't have on a... TV or something.

Now I'm just rambling. I guess where I'm going with this is yes, far too many Americans are gluttonous consumers. But liking to splurge a little on restaurant trips and bicycles and even, yes, fancy cars and being a responsible consumer don't have to be mutually exclusive.