Ideal Bite

I finally paid off the last of my credit card debt last week. I've been paying for beer, tires, tuition, and too many late night dinners for 12 years at 14% interest and it cost me more than double the original purchase price in that time. Credit cards are EVIL, no matter if they do donate a tiny percentage to eco causes or not. I use my debit card daily and have adopted the notion that if I cant pay cash for it, I can't afford it. Try leaving the credit cards at home for a month, then tally up how much you didn't spend on crap you don't really need as well as the interest rate for the next 20 years and donate 1/4 of it to charity and invest the rest. You can retire a millionare, do the math.

Great post Kevin and congratulations! Was your interest rate only 14% for all of your cards for 12 years? I've been successful at lowering some, but not all. Speaking of plastic toxins, I came across a site (online store) that is free of any and all toys and game products made in China http://www.toysnotmadeinchina.org/ It's funny because when you start keying different URLs on this subject to find toys not made in China, they all seemed to be squatters hoping someone will pay to actually use. It was refreshing to see one that actually has something behind it. Great job on the credit cards. We are right behind you.

Great tip, I'm posting a link to this at GreenDeals Daily as we speak!

This is a good tip for those who can use credit cards responsibly and, in general, I greatly appreciate all the wonderful work the Biter team puts into helping all of us live more responsibly in every facet of our lives. However, one comment in today's tip made me very concerned for the team's morals and the reality of their "social responsibility." Why would several of you tout using a credit card that gives money to Planned Parenthood - the single largest killer of unborn children in the US? When you give so much advice on toxins that can potentially harm pregnant mothers and their unborn children, how can you differentiate between fetuses that are planned and those that are unplanned (some say "not wanted") and slated for abortion? Do you not realize the harm (physical and psychological) that such cruel and inhumane practices impose on a mother? These are people who first and foremost directly kill unborn children under the protection of our government; second, vehemently fight for women's, and men's, ill-advised "choice" to kill unborn children at any stage of their fetal development; and third, continuously spread falsehoods that unborn children are not human and do not deserve the respect the rest of us do. Why not respect all life? Frankly, I have lost some respect for the Biter team, although I will continue to subscribe because the voluminous information I have received in daily emails is noteworthy. I guess I should thank you for bringing to light that this particular credit card gives money to such an abominable organization and considers it charity. I am now a better-educated consumer and, hopefully, some of your other subscribers will be, too.

Another great option is www.IGive.org. When you shop online at participating stores, the stores themselves give a percentage of what you spend to a charity (or charities) of your choice. If the charity you want to give to isn't listed, contact them and get them to sign up! I worked a non-profit and signed us up very easily. Not too many of the earth-friendly stores I shop at are a part of the network (yet) but if I buy plane tickets, or something else generic, it helps.

Oops! Sorry, it's www.IGive.com (not org)

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Returning to the enduring nature of credit cards, I recently took Amy Dacyzyn's advice and made guitar picks out of some for my best friend. She actually really liked them and asked for more!

very interesting... here are some good readings apply for credit cards online about the topic.