I don’t need to justify my credit card debt — good or bad
Q: What makes your debt so different from “public shaming debt”?
A: I have been shamed for my debt. But my debt is different in that over 90% of it is due to my previous financial instability. What I mean is if it weren’t for my credit cards I couldn’t have paid rent, covered medical expenses, covered college, and car maintenance — all of which I needed at the time.
Q: Is there any debt that you regret?
A: Yes, the debt I incurred when I financed my first vehicle. I lease now and am extremely happier. Being someone who’s gone through horrible car luck since I was a teen I wish I had made the transition to leasing sooner but ce la vie.
Q: How do you feel about good vs bad debt?
A: Personally I think the categories can afford a gray area. In some cases debt can be subjective.
In my life I would have loved to have had medical insurance but I didn’t always and though I hated having to use credit to cover my health it was a necessity. In that case, to me, incurring that debt wasn’t good nor bad but necessary.
Ultimately, I believe each individual needs to decide what debt is necessary and work on eliminating it as soon as they can. It’s hard to take criticism from others, especially when they haven’t lived your life.
I aim to be completely honest with myself because otherwise mistakes will continue, but I no longer let others shame my past.
My life, my debt, my lessons learned.
