high interest bank loans that drag you down . . . kinda like wearing cement shoes while trying to swim in a lake.

Unfortunately, some people are in the financial position where they must use the cards in order to purchase necessities. Wages are still stagnant and the cost of health care is completely insane. Prices are going up all over. (Regular gas here was 3.05 a gallon. It's now 3.15)

And of course, there are those who practice buy now and let the future worry about the bills later.

Our debt is pretty minimal - low principle owed on the house, car loan will be finished this year (we have made huge payments on it thus reducing a 5 year loan into a 1 year), and the credit card balance (just have onecredit card) will be gone soon too.

Banks want people in debt. Of course, they want people to pay on time but debt is how banks make their money. Some people have what I call revolving debt - they pay off one thing only to go into debt on another. Sometimes its out of need, and sometimes its due to foolish spending habits.