The point with grandparents is that in the past, it was acceptable and considered normal to save up to pay for things. To live within your means. Today, you're considered normal if you have 2-3 (or more) credit cards, a loan for a car, and a few other things. You can justify it by saying it's for a good credit rating, but if you don't use credit, then why do you need a good rating? The whole thing that I (and I think many others) have come to is you have to live within your means, and save up for what you can afford. It's very easy to go buy the $1000 flat screen TV because it's the newest, biggest and best, and just throw it on the card. But it means something more, in my estimation, if you save up for it and pay cash for it. I am kicking myself over and over to continue to pay monthly for a computer I got rid of 5 years ago, meals and gas from probably 10 years ago, etc. etc. I don't want that temptation around me.