I'll go a step further. Other than a house, business, education or a short-term loan for a vehicle, one shouldn't finance anything. Always live within ones means.

Nonsense - credit means someone has money and doesn't know how to spend it, why shouldn't it be spent on me? And should tides turn and I can't pay the dept, I'll still always have Paris while my creditor will have to content himself with a write-off.

I made a change at New Years to put away the credit cards, and to use available funds for everything, while dumping as much as I can towards my credit cards to get them paid off. Of course, 5 months later everything got more expensive. My car will be paid off next month and all that money is going towards my cards. It is easier to live within ones means when you weren't saddled with debt from "go". I hope to have my credit cards paid off in 2 years or less.