I don't like credit cards. Don and I were in deep credit-card debt for many, many years while we raised our girls on a shoestring budget and an unsteady woodcrafter's income. Now we live an all-cash lifestyle with the exception of our regular monthly bills (about $500/month) which are on automatic payment on our (single) credit card. Needless to say, we pay the bill off in full the instant we receive it in the mail. Now that we no longer owe money, the sense of freedom that comes from not having revolving debt on the [bleepity] credit card never stops.
Which is why this week's book recommendation is entitled "Maxed Out: Hard Times, Easy Credit and the Era of Predatory Lenders" by James D. Scurlock. Written in 2007 just before the 2008 recession, if anything it's even more relevant today as it discusses predatory lending practices by the credit-card companies.
Some of the stories in the book are ugly. Many are heartbreaking. But all underscore the importance of not enslaving one's self to credit if at all possible. If you're vaguely aware that credit cards are bad news but can't quite pinpoint why, this book will explain. Highly recommended.
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Don's product recommendation this week is his good ol' Yankee push-drill.
He keeps this in his everyday toolbox for those times he needs a fast hole drilled in wood or plastic. It's non-electric and fits in tight spaces.
The drill bits are stored in the top of the handle.
Don's a tool guy, and while he has the full cadre of power tools, he also has a lot of hand tools for times when batteries die or power isn't available or (in this case) spaces are too tight to permit a power drill. An excellent stocking stuffer for your DIY types.
(Obligatory disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate, if you purchase through those links, we earn a small commission.)
(Don't forget: A complete list of all our book and product recommendations are linked here and at the upper-right column of the blog.)
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