Tuesday 23 September 2014

Ding Dong The Card Is Dead!

Yesterday evening, September 22nd, 2014, I paid off my first card and it is down to zero!  Okay, smarty-pants, technically I paid the card down to zero, but with the time-distortion between when you pay your credit card and when it hits your balance means it still reads not paid off. 

That and there was a charge I had to put on the card on Sunday and this morning I got my statement. So technically the card has about $100.00 on it but those are new charges and will be paid off when I get paid in two weeks. So, I’m calling this one done. 

I plan to keep this card at zero and not use it. Since it is an points card I am tempted  to use it for everything and everyday purchases, so I can get the points. I may still do that in the future, but my thoughts of late tell me I need to have a paid off card and learn not to touch it.

I have had this card run up to the max and never down to zero since early 2010. I have gotten used to having cards run up so I will admit that my thoughts turned to charging it up again for another “necessity.” 

With my power situation like it is and my main usage of power being my laptop so I can write, I started searching out laptops which have insanely long battery life. That lead me to Apple, and it felt wrong looking at their laptops. 

I have been using PC’s steadily since the days of DOS . . . early DOS, as in DOS 3. The visceral negativity of the Apple ads towards PC has tainted my view of all things Apple. These days they have changed their advertising, thankfully and focussed on the positive aspects of their products.

Apple stuff seems to be nicer and a cut above everything else and I am sure that I could learn to adapt and adjust to their way of doing things. I also know that I will be frustrated and it will be a learning curve to adapt to a different way of doing things. 

My current laptop is nice but it sucks back the juice. With Ace, and the laptop being fully charged it will run for about three hours, after that on its own the laptop will run for about two more hours. 

Then I have to lug two heavy things into somewhere with power and charge them up for hours. With a nice light Apple laptop I could take it into work, plug it in and use it for 8 – 9 hours on a single charge. 

I will admit that yes I did seriously consider buying a new laptop. I stopped myself and looked at what I was about to do. 

I then made a deal with myself that I would put a bit of money away each month and when I am done all of the cards I would allow myself to get the biggest, baddest, most insane, and coolest laptop I want. As a celebration, if you will.

I am telling you this because the perception is there to see credit cards as a potential of “free money.” We are encouraged to see them as a way to get nifty stuff now (like a laptop) and not have to worry about paying it for a while. 

I need to train myself to see them as debt and only used when needed (for convenience) or in emergencies. In both cases they are to be used short term and paid off to zero ASAP. I intend to pay this card down to zero each payday. 

Failure to alter my thinking will only lead me to gravitate back to what has been a “normal” for me . . . with all of my available credit ran up. Paying down credit cards is one thing but what is harder is changing your thinking to not run up that card again. 

Already during this journey I have put small things on the card and just said “Meh, pay it down later.” This has to stop, for my own good. I need to break this cycle if I am to get ahead.

So, unless a certain large computer company that was started by Mr. Jobs decides to sponsor me with a laptop (doubtful) or everyone out there is so moved and motivated to send me cash to buy said laptop (equally doubtful) I will not be getting my laptop till August of next year. 

That’s okay though, because when I do, I will have earned it, and it will be soooo cool.  As in a fully loaded MacBook Pro, or whatever cooler and higher than that is out at that time. (Don’t ask silly questions like, why do I need such a powerful laptop). 

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