Credit Crunch Nathan… The Denial

by Chris McGinty
In 2003, Nathan and I had a discussion about his debt. This was five years before I heard of Dave Ramsey, but I already had many of the same ideas as said Dave person. I won’t even get into what Dave Ramsey has said about these debt management programs, because I know that I’ve already advised Nathan against it.

I’ve pretty much stopped believing that anyone will ever listen to a word I say though. This goes very deep in fact. Miguel and I were discussing my writing the other night. It was an offshoot discussion of this blog. In our private group, I asked about promoting this blog, and all the other work we do. Miguel had an alternate take on the idea of promotion.

He asked, “Is it that we’re not getting people to our work, or is it that we’re not producing anything that people are interested in?”

Basically, he believes that it will do no good to promote our work, because no one will be interested. He believes that my sense of humour isn’t aligned with the rest of the world, and unless I’m willing to use more dick and fart jokes in my work, I will not appeal to most people no matter how I promote.

Put another way, I don’t say what people want to hear, and so people don’t listen. Interesting, huh? Nathan is still convinced that the credit card companies are to blame for what’s going on right now, even after I wrote a very clear, and funny if you understand more than farting dicks, piece about personal responsibility. Nathan points out that in a mere 4.5 years (really, that’s it?) he’ll have all the credit card companies paid off, and boy, will they have learned their lesson (the companies, not Nathan.)

So jumping back to the start, in 2003, Nathan and I had a discussion about his debt. My suggestion was to stop purchasing with credit cards, make cuts to his lifestyle, and get a part time job until he could get a little breathing room by paying off one or more cards. The result of this was us starting a part time business, which strangely was mostly funded by credit, and after we overextended ourselves, and Nathan quit his full time job (making the act of starting a part time business negligible to its original intention) the business failed. This was halfway through 2004 when it was finally all said and done. 4.5 years ago at the very least, probably closing in on five. But you see the parallel right? If Nathan had simply stopped purchasing with credit cards (which he has to do now anyway) and made cuts to his lifestyle (which he’s had to do anyway) back in 2004 when the business was officially done with, he would have no credit card debt now.

But none of that was what he wanted to hear. And people don’t listen to what they don’t want to hear. The way he’s doing it is better, because he’s sticking it to the man, oh yeah!

They already have your money, Nathan. And again, I know that’s not what you want to hear. Sometimes it’s the stuff we don’t want to hear that’s the best things for us to hear. I truly hope that your debt management program works, because if it’s the only way that you’re going to do what is best for you then I guess it’s better late than never.

And 4.5 years from now, if everything has gone as it is supposed to, I hope you don’t get back into the revolving door of debt, and say, “This is only to keep my credit score up, and I’ll be so much smarter about it this time,” because people are never smarter about anything when they’re using it as a justification for their actions.

2 thoughts on “Credit Crunch Nathan… The Denial

  1. You know Chris you have been going on and on for years making a career of telling me and Miguel that we never listen to you… you are right. Is that what you needed to hear?
    You were right, I needed to stop using credit.
    You were right, I needed to get a part time job to help pay it down.
    Heres the thing… I didn't want to… but you were still right.

    Now, let's turn the mirror onto yourself. You have been basically work 2 jobs for quote some time now. Have you paid off your debts?
    You should.
    You should get a 3rd job if needed. You should stop buying Dr. Pepper to save soooo much money.
    This is sound advice. It's easy to give good, sound advice.
    Not too easy to actually do it though, is it?

    Put that 'add-a-flvaour' in your Dr. Pepper and drink it!

    Peace out.

  2. Oh shit! You know what I think? I think Nathan & Chris ought to get married. Because they fight like an old married couple. What do you think Miguel? Sorry, LOLOLOLOL I'm laughing my ass off out loud a Nathan's response. You 2 guys would make a great comedy team. I'm jusk joking ok? So don't go off on me Chris.

    Nathan, why don't you just tell Chris that your life would be like most peoples if you did'nt use credit? You're life would be like crap. Just joking. But no, you do have a point because Chris works 2 jobs and has'nt gotten out of debt either. Of course he told me why that is and I'm not going to go into that here cause I don't think anyone could handle what I'd say and I know Chris would probably argue until blue in the face cause he's always right. According to Chris. Not slamming you Chris, don't get your scrotum in a knot. But you have said on more than one occassion that your right and always right. Hmm….I see a pattern here…Well like I said. Not slamming anybody, just voicing my opinion at least I think its my opinion. Chris says I don't think for myself. Has he ever told anyone else that? Nathan? Miguel? Inquiring minds want to know. All I can say is that whether I think for myself or not. I take responsibility for my own debt and my own situation. Yeah, I got debt too. Yeah, I cut up the credit cards. Yeah, I charged them up and had a fucking good blast doing it too. But I am paying them off and down. I do also have $12k in medical bills that came up recently but I've jewed the providers down and paid off 2 very small ones so far. But hey, all I'm saying is that I own my situation and don't go blaming it off on others. Yes, sometimes things happen like 10 yrs. ago when I had an employer that fucked me out of my pay. Shit happens. You do the best you can with what you've got and if you're unhappy? Change your situation. But anyway, this should probably be a blog. I'll get into that at a later time. Ok.

    Take care of you, Kelly (Anonymous)

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