Jour 19: Credit cards vs. frugality

- weheartit.com

Oh, hello adorable credit card! Don't you look unthreatening and fun!

Some very nice people who give me the benefit of the doubt are like, "Oh, so you have some debt. But that's just from student loans, right? So it's understandable." To those people I say, "You're sweet. And now I have to break your heart."

Because a) my parents paid for my undergrad (thanks, guys!) and b) my debt is almost entirely credit card debt from ridiculous things I have bought over the past 10 years. (*Note: I paid for my own grad school... kinda. Part of my debt is paying back my Mom for that)

- kittyhell.com

Note: choosing a credit card based on its cuteness is not necessarily the best idea.

But if the one you want happens to be cute? I'm not going to stop you.

PS - why are there so many Hello Kitty cards?

So anyway. Credit cards are kind of my nemesis. I've written about this before, almost exactly one year ago, when I realized that a credit card is not an income. It's taken me longer than most people to realize that (right? Everybody else has known this for a long time, I think). In my own defence, credit cards know that most people secretly think that they're free money, and that's how they market themselves to shopaholics like me.

Even in the midst of my credit card debt, I seriously was tempted by the Shoppers Drug Mart Optimum credit card, partly because you get a bunch of free points for signing up but especially because they were giving out free lipstick at the time. And maybe one day I'll get one of those cards, but not until I've paid off everything I have.

- en.unionpay.com

Must... resist... siren call... of the Barbie credit cards...

Oh, wait, they're only available in China. *phew*

Ages and ages ago, I read this really great book called Frugal Indulgents. It's about how to be a classy, glamourous lady without spending lots of money. One of their main tips is to use an Airmiles credit card for basically everything, so you are earning points. Since the book was written (in the early 2000s), there are zillions of types of points credit cards - you can earn money for groceries, makeup, to give money to charity, or even a cashback credit card.

At the moment, I have one credit card. It's only perk is low-interest, which I need more right now than movie or grocery or lipstick points. Got to pay this down, people. But once it's paid down? I will totally investigate what cards are out and get some sort of points card. And I will *only* use it for big purchases (to get the points) and I will *always* pay down my full balance.

Basically, when I grow up, I am going to be Zooey Deschanel.

Do you guys have points credit cards? Which one do you like best?