COL tami 1014

  • October 6, 2013
  • 381
                        
On what turned out to be a fruitless mission to buy a dress from a wedding Husband and I recently attended, I made a last-minute rush to a mall outside the county. Finding out you’ve gone “up a size” and need to find a Plan B dress does not make for the ideal shopping mindset, so you can imagine how annoyed I was by a sales clerk in a place I seldom shop. The moment I walked in, she bussed over like a bee to flower. “Can I help you find something?” she queried. “No,” I said, well into exasperation at that point. She followed me to a rack. “That’s a nice outfit,” she said, as I eyed a purple skirt. And again, “I can show you a few others in similar colors.” And yet again. “If you sign up for our store credit card today, you’ll get 20 percent off our purchases.” Finally, she got my “look” and seized upon another customer. I headed back to a dressing booth, which turned out to be a good spot from which to listen to the conversation that ensued. Clerk: “If you apply for our store credit card, you’ll get 20 percent off your purchase today.” Shopper: “I am not allowed to have credit cards. My credit is too bad.” Clerk: “Well, even so, we would start you with a $100 limit. So you can spend $100 today.” Shopper: “No, I’ve really had problems with my credit. I’m trying to get it cleaned up.” Clerk: “Well, the only way to re-establish your credit is to get a credit card.” As I walked out in disgust – both because of that conversation and also because of the inferior quality of the clothing – I saw said shopper at the sales counter, filling out the form. The clerk was delighted. It kind of made me sick. If the clerk had been a bartender, would she insisted on pouring some Scotch down the shopper’s throat? Would she have offered a new Player’s Card to a person leaving a Gambler’s Anonymous meeting? Really – did I just hear the clerk prey on a customer who apparently has problems with her personal finances? There are probably drug dealers out there with more finesse. I’ll admit it, we have credit cards. But we use them responsibly and we pay them off each month. I hate debt; it frightens me. I business friend of mine told me once that you sometimes have to incur a little short-term debt to realize long-term gains. In short – you have to spend money to make money. To that end, I side with my dear, late Aunt Edna, a child of the Great Depression who insisted on filling her cedar chest with cold, hard cash because she didn’t trust anyone else with her money, including banks and investment houses. So, after my trip to the mall, I check out some statistics on American consumer debt. This is what I found (based on statistics compiled by the Federal Reserve): • The average American consumer credit card debt is $15,185. • The average mortgage debt is $147,133 • In total, American consumers owe $11.13 trillion in debt • American consumers also owe $849.8 million in credit card debt I don’t know about you, but I find that staggering. I also find it interesting, as I see Joe Average American interviewed on the news about his opinion of the national debt. “It’s out of control,” he says. “Congress has got to get its house in order.” Apparently, Joe Average American ought to grab the broom and start cleaning his own house. If we are going to demand fiscal austerity in Washington or in Columbus or in Wayne County, we would do well to remember austerity begins at home. Of course, if you’re inclined to run up your personal debt on non-essential services, I know a clerk who will be only too happy to help you. But, in the end, saying “no” is something only the customer can do.


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