SO LONG SWEET CREDIT CARD DEBT...........(I stumbled upon you and unwittingly basked in your radioactive rays)

Well folks, I never thought this day would come. I can finally say that I am completely rid of all credit card debt in my life! It has been a very long road, fraught with constant frustration and disappointment, but the end result of my tireless efforts feels so very sweet.

I do think that it's ironic that I find myself celebrating such a huge accomplishment in my life while the majority of United States citizens are racking up more debt this month than any other this year. I've been saying this for years, but I continue to reinforce the idea that the credit card companies' practices border on (if not illegal) at the very least immoral.

In the very darkest hour of my financial troubles, for example, I just happened to find out that one of my creditors had taken me to court without a summons and there was a judgment filed against me. This all transpired totally unbeknownst to me! Of course this was all reversed and resolved, but only because I had the smarts to know that what they had done was not legal AND I had access to pro bono legal services by a family member. If I had not had that help, I would have found myself in an impossible predicament.

My point in all this is simply that people need to stay away from credit cards as much as they can (especially young people whom are not yet settled in life). If you aren't going to pay that balance every month then don't get the credit card. You cannot afford the consequences.

Keeping that in mind, the easiest way to accrue less debt is to spend less (and sometimes that's the hardest problem to tackle). When I first got a credit card in college, I immediately started off on the wrong foot. Groceries here, beer there, a pair a shoes or a new purse occasionally, books, more beer, $4 coffee...the list goes on. In retrospect, while the main problem was that I did not have the income to support my spending, an almost equally detrimental issue was that I was making totally unnecessary purchases. If you are living off Work Study and babysitting, you cannot afford to go to Starbucks every day! Oh, and Guinness and Sierra Nevada are definitely off limits (hey, there's nothin' wrong with Natty Bo)!

So folks, coming from a 29-year-old that's just starting her financial life over again, just be careful out there.

Every time you make a purchase ask yourself the following:

1. Do I really need this?
2. Can I get this cheaper somewhere else?
3. Do I actually have the money for this? (so, if I'm using a credit card, will I be able to pay this off when my payment is due?)

As you immerse yourself in the shopping mayhem of the holiday season, keep three simple things in mind and you will find your bank account a little more manageable. Oh, and you might even be able to relax a little, too!

HAPPY HOLIDAY SAVING!