I’m struggling. When I am financially floundering I feel as though I am fundamentally deficient; as though my very character is defunct or damaged in some way. My parents were born in the decade of the 1930's. They entered the world shortly after the Great Depression made its deep and lasting scar and using credit of any kind was frowned upon. Between them they had one credit card they finally applied for in the 1990's so they could order stuff off the New Fangled Internet.

In no way can I place any blame on my parents for my current ratio of debt to income, but I will say this: at no time in my early life did my parents discuss “sensitive” topics such as money, or sex, or the inherent evil of the credit card. Strangely, I have struggled with all three of these taboo issues — along with another unpopular subject: drug use. I did learn by age sixteen that if I faked a “come apart” (aka Panic Attack) my dad would lightly pop my cheek and throw a 10mg Valium down my throat. Well worth the stinging flesh…but I digress. At the moment I am trolling Pinterest for subject such as, “Making Extra Income” and “Part Time Work from Home”. There are no websites that instruct me with helpful hints on turning tricks in the parking lot, or self organ donation, or sh*tting gold coins. Those are the super fast money makers I’m waiting on. However, there are websites devoted to helping you blog about your debt or blogging about adventures in domestic prostitution. I’m considering.

Parents: talk to your kids about the HARD stuff! Address the herd of white elephants in the room! If you don’t your child may be considering potentially risky behavior to pay down their credit card debt.

Signed,

Sincerely Considering Faking My Own Death