第11部分 (第5/8页)

　sudden；　they　wake　up　and　their　liabilities　column　is　full　of　mortgage　debt　and　credit…card　debt。

They're　now　trapped　in　the　rat　race。　A　child　es　along。　They　work　harder。 The　process　repeats　itself。 More　money　and　higher　taxes；　also　called　bracket　creep；　A　credit　card　es　in　the　mail。　They　use　it。　It　maxes　out。 A　loan　pany　calls　and　says　their　greatest　〃asset；〃　their　home；　has　appreciated　in　value。　The　pany　offers　a　〃bill　consolidation〃　loan；　because　their　credit　is　so　good；　and　tells　them　the　intelligent　thing　to　do　is　clear　off　the　high…interest　consumer　debt　by　paying　off　their　credit　card。　And　besides；　interest　on　their　home　is　a　tax　deduction。　They　go　for　it；　and　pay　off　those　high…interest　credit　cards。　They　breathe　a　sigh　of　relief。　Their　credit　cards　are　paid　off。　They've　now　folded　their　consumer　debt　into　their　home　mortgage。 Their　payments　go　down　because　they　extend　their　debt　over　30　years。 It　is　the　smart　thing　to　do。

Their　neighbor　calls　to　invite　them　to　go　shopping…the　Memorial　Day　sale　is　on。　A　chance　to　save　some　money。　They　say　to　themselves；　〃I　won't　buy　anything。　I'll　just　go　look。〃　But　just　in　case　they　find　something；　they　tuck　that　clean　credit　card　inside　their　wallet。

I　run　into　this　young　couple　all　the　time。　Their　names　change；　but　their　financial　dilemma　is　the　same。　They　e　to　one　of　my　talks　to　hear　what　I　have　to　say。　They　ask　me；　〃Can　you　tell　us　how　to　make　more　money？〃　Their　spending　habits　have　caused　them　to　seek　m