Reply #1: Yeah that really irritated me too

[Hello_Kitty]

With all the discussion these days of bankruptcy reform and other draconian measures by creditors to collect from the little guy you get these "frugal" people coming out of the woodwork to wag their fingers.

You know what, I got myself into credit card debt that I'm working on getting out of because I bought a lot of crap I didn't need and then ran into some financial emergencies on top of it. So shoot me. I wanted to keep up with the Joneses because my entire life I was told I had to do that.

It really pisses me off when Oprah or someone will do a show with some "financial expert" telling me I'm in debt because I buy stuff I don't need. Well, duh. It's usually right after the "makeover" show she did where I was told I was loser if I didn't have the latest fashions and home furnishings.

At age 36, I'm finally beginning to realize that my outward appearance and my possessions aren't what make me worthwhile. But that took years of therapy, self-examination, and critical thinking about society. And I still struggle with it. Most people don't even get to my point.