Credit Cards

My roommates and I got into an interesting discussion about credit cards this evening on our way back from dinner. They both agreed that credit cards were a fine idea, as long as the person was able to pay it off, what's the big deal? I hold the complete opposite view. (Just to clarify, this was a discussion, not an argument. None of us are angry with the others, we're all still friends.) While I can understand their view, I also think credit cards are a nightmare, both logically and financially. Let's follow the "credit card" concept to its end. Credit is essentially buying something that you don't have the money for at the moment and paying it back when the bill comes. In my short life I've never used a credit card, but if I don't have the money for something, I just don't buy it! It seems simple to me. What happens when you don't have the money for the credit card bill? You pay the minimum balance and accrue interest while you continue used the card to buy more things that you cannot afford. This cycle continues until you wake up one day thousands of dollars in credit card debt that will take years to dig out of. Maybe it's just me, but that doesn't sound like fun.( I'll get off of my soapbox now.) Credit cards in themselves are not evil, but they can be an easy avenue for wasting one of our most important God-given resources, our finances.