Reply #6: Simple example....

[Blackhatjack]

My Dad noticed canned food was on sale at the grocery store, and that each can had a coupon good for an additional 25 cents off a future purchase of the same item. He bought multiple cases with a real costs of 19 cents a can. The same item today sells for 76 - 95 cents a can in the same store.

Ignoring the costs to transport and store, and taking into account the shelf life which makes this a non-perishable, he has created a substantial savings over future purchases of this item.

Economies of scale do not always apply to individual consumers, but there are ways to convert today's dollars into non-perishable commodities which will be worth much more as prices rise in the future.

So why pay off the debt which may be worth substantially less, even after taking into account interest accruing?