What Not To Use Your Credit Card On

I found this article on AOL and thought that I would share it.

20 Purchases to avoid making with your credit card
TOM BARLOW
Sep 8th 2009 at 2:30PM
American Public Media's Marketplace recently asked the author of “Credit Card Nation” to help put together a list of 10 purchases to avoid making with a credit card. It's no secret that our purchasing histories are carefully watched by credit card-issuing banks, not only for opportunities to inspire us to spend more, but for early warning signs that we might be in financial distress.
Marketplace's list of 10 things to not pay for on credit:
1. Retreading tires
2. Bargain binges
3. Sex toys
4. Marriage counseling
5. Lottery tickets
6. Cash advances
7. Spa treatments and other personal indulgences
8. Income taxes
9. Alcohol
10. Traffic Tickets
The reasons should be obvious. Some expenditures, such as retreading, show that your pocketbook is empty. Others demonstrate that your personal life is in flux, such as marriage counseling. Yet others suggest you're not making the best use of your money, by using credit for things such as spa treatments and mixed drinks.Of course, this list is hardly comprehensive.
I'm sure you could think of dozens more purchases that should not go on your credit card. Off the top of my head, I'm thinking you shouldn't use your credit card to pay for:
1. Medical marijuana bongs
2. Spray-on hair
3. "I ♥ my convict" T-shirts
4. NAMBLA fund raising auction bids
5. The "Free Bernie Madoff" fund
6. Three seats on a return flight from The Biggest Loser
7. A bankruptcy lawyer
8. Al Qaeda membership dues
9. Koala Bear steaks
10. The David Carradine suite at the Nai Lert Park Hotel in Bangkok
I guess that the inflatable doll...her name is Margheritta, that I bought using my American Express Titanium Card would get the thumbs down. It figures.

Troubled Times

Yesterday Veronica and I went to Walmart to do some shopping. While in there, I noticed that there were about 3 full rows, both sides, of Holloween items...mask, costumes and any other Holloween dress up items that you can think of. I could not believe how much Halloween items were leftover this year. This was the most by far, that I have ever seen before. And that is not to mention all of the leftover Halloween candy that they had on sale. Just goes to show you how bad and how deeply our economy is hurting. With everyone tightening their belts and keeping their budgets down to the minimum, they might be foregoing Halloween stuff and saving what they have for the holiday season. The way things appear to be going, people won't be spending near as much this holiday season. The retail stores will really have to discount their product lines and even if they do that, it will be a really rough sales time for them. For those of you that have the extra cash/plastic for holiday spending, wait long enough and there should be some great bargains to be had. As for me...just give me some coal and I will be happy. That will be a lot cheaper than the 52" 1080p plasma tv that I have been longing for.....but by getting the coal, I will save a lot of stress on worrying about paying those plastic cards off within my lifetime.