Aspies For Freedom

my house burned down for example.  within a year I owed the ^&%! companies $30,000 so I could keep feeding my children.  

I earned too much for food stamps, but the mortgage company took the check and gave me 1/2 to rebuild.  I called for the 2nd half, and they said, 'not until you can prove you've compled the project - then we will send you your check.'  All my income went into that, my car broke down,  my dog got cancer, and I had to buy food.  The insurance paid for all of us to stay in a hotel (three in a room for six months), but I had to spend the money first, them await reimbersement.  All at 27% interest (after I couldn't make a payment it skyrocketed to that amound - it was originally 12%)!!

Maybe my situation was more complex, with a family to house and feed - maybe I am just not as good a fiancier as you, GuessWho.  Regardless, I am still feeling the effects of the credit cards taking advantage of my bad luck to come in like vultures to pick my bones.  I am not asking for a free ride, just don't more than double the rates when someone goes under.  Of course without the credit cards, we probably wouold have ended up homeless, on food stamps and welfare.  Lets have a monment of silence for the 1 million Irish who died during the potatoe famine since this is St Pat's day

Our retirement savings gurus (Choose to Save Campaign) talk about spending less and saving more, having $500 emergency fund, the three months salary saved up, etc.  

Credit cards that have rebates can give you up to 1% rebate on purchases (this is coming out of the fee charged to the merchant to accept credit cards, but since the merchant charges the same price if you used cash, goodie for you).  (When I was 10 years old, Exxon charged 4 cents a gallon less for gas with cash, and Shell boasted you pay the same either way)

Of course you spend more with credit than you would with cash: that's why McDonalds has the credit card terminals in front.

I need to live in Britain.  The best savings accounts I can get my paws on are 5%.

What does ISA stand for?  

The best bank account interest you can usually find is those "online banks" with no brick and mortar assets (and staff), they are FDIC insured, have no fees or minimums, and range between 4 and 5% interest.  That is what we call a good interest rate in America.

http://www.hsbcdirect.com
http://www.ingdirect.com

I dont have credit cards - the way we look it you dont have the money dont spend it That way you dont get the debt to begin with. Also, Guesswho I hear you about the 4 or 5% . Got to love America eh?

ATM: Most of the great religions have denounced usury. In the Christian and Islamic traditions, it is all but forbidden.  Judaism also forbids lending at interest within the same Nation.  The Eastern religions seem to be against it also.

Sadly, however, expediency wins the day over purity of faith any day.  That is why Big Business is willing to build up the Chinese economic and military machine.  China is not, and never has been, "Marxist" of course.  Rather, they have a State Capitalism that exploits the worker.  

How sad that greed is our own undoing as a Nation.  

All the best.

If inflation erodes the value of money, and interest is forbidden, no one would lend money, unless out of love.

ATM: I am not an economist, for sure.  However, compound interest ought to be illegal.

I believe that interest needs to be heavily controlled.   And, so must inflation!

All the best.

I am glad laws define a grace period and stipulate no interest may be charged if balances are paid within that period.  "Convenience users" whom the industry calls "deadbeats", simply because we'd rather not carry lotsa cash for everything.

If it was "anything goes" who knows?