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That great philosopher, Madonna, sang: "We are living in a material world, and I am a material girl"In modern society, it has become common to want to buy things now - I said "Now!" - with no regard for the value of patience. We are unused to saving up and waiting to make. We decide that buying more stuff will make us happy, or believe that others will be impressed with us. Getting a credit card can help us to buy more items – even things that we normally wouldn’t buy because we don’t have the money.

RESULT: As a result of this type of credit and easy money, it seems as though materialism is all around us.

A credit cardencourages you to spend more money. It's like magic. An instant loan.A portable loan. A very personal loan...indeed, you almost become your own banker, doling out loans at will. While some credit cards offer the opportunity to earn cash back, and getting things can lead to more rewards and possibly cash back, discounts, special promotions and merchandise, using a credit card can add up to a great deal of debt — all in the name of getting more things. It is important to understand something about credit cards: You might be earning rewards and getting cash back with your rewards card, at least on the surfacebut that doesn’t mean your finances are improving. If you carry a credit card balance, there is a real possibility that the interest you pay will overmatch any rewards you get. Spending money to get more stuff just because you have the ability to with a credit card can contribute to materialism, and lead you into debt.

Credit Card Use and Materialism

Because credit card use makes it so easy to spend money, rather than save money, it contributes to the fact that materialism has grown so much in our society. In the end, a credit card the “easy money” of credit cards brings the illusion that you can afford something that you really might not be able to. A credit card provides you with a way to buy more stuff now, paying it off over time – with interest. It seems easier to impress your family and friends, or purchase things that your kids want.

However, will it really make you happy? Is it really needed to get into debt just so that you can buy more things? Or do you think that you will impress your neighbors with the things you buy using debt? Credit card use is one of the main contributors to lifestyle inflation, changing many of items we used to think of as “wants” into “needs.”

There is no reason to keep putting money on your credit card. You don’t need to get into debt to impress others, or to increase the material possessions that your family has. You can choose to turn your back on materialism. Reconsider what you “need”. Also, you can reconsider the emphasis that you place on things.

Rather than buying more stuff with your credit card, and contributing to the unconsidered materialistism that we have become accustomed to, consider what you can do to stop using so much debt, and enjoy life in other ways.