Cartoons, cartoons, cartoons.... John Crowther's Cartoon Odyssey

I think of it as The Fool's Journey. I've been asked who the "fool" is. It's me, but in the classical sense of the court jester. Only the fool was allowed to tell the king of his follies. All cartoons are available as prints or originals, framed or unframed, through my website or e-mail. For mugs, t-shirts, and other products visit my gift shop at www.zazzle.com/jcrowtherart* (be sure to include the *).

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

What Comes In Must Go Out

You've got to hand it to the banking industry. They figured out how to get their hands on all the money. When I was a kid we were taught to make a budget when we grew up. You listed all your fixed expenses, rent, food, clothes, utilities, and so on, and you were supposed to allow for a certain amount to be put into monthly savings. Then, when you had enough, you could dip into that "rainy day" stash if you needed a new car, say, or the washing machine broke, or you wanted to take a vacation. Your bank paid you interest on this money, because basically what you were doing was lending the bank money. If you were careful the amount you had socked away grew, and so did the interest it was earning. But then the banking wizards came up with the great credit card scam. They would lend you the money instead, in increments so relatively small you didn't notice as they piled up. Now, instead of budgeting for savings, you have to budget enough to make your minimum credit card payments. You're now paying the bank interest, far in excess of the interest they once paid you. It has to be that way because of all the third world countries defaulting on their billions in loans. So next time you make a payment, don't think about how the banks are ripping you off, think about all you're doing to help the despots of the world maintain their lavish lifestyles.

7 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Cutting up my credit cards right now, John C. If the despots want to have a lavish lifestyle, they will have to look to someone else. Bad enough when I fill up my gas tank. OR, on the other hand, maybe I will just pay the card off in full each month and frustrate both the bank and the despots.

Know couples exactly like the cartoon but had to laugh anyway as it is funny but so true. Generation X comes to mind.

9:38 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'll join you Lee... hey I've got an idea... maybe we can all have a little card cut-up ceremony over a chilled glass of Veuve Cliquot? No? Oh okay... that's not really in the spirit of it? All right then... well let me see... what say we make it a house white then! LOL Great cartoon John... I think I may know them too! LOL

3:43 PM  
Blogger John M Crowther said...

Thanks for the kind words, Lee and Jean. Yeah, these people are all around us, and not just the ones driving the Beamers and eating at Spago. The reality is that in fact American credit card debt is greater than aggregate earnings, which is fine until the GNP starts dropping and we reach critical mass -- whatever the heck that means.

6:44 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Would somebody please pass the house white? hahahaha John... sorry mate... you lost me (not hard to do!)

11:50 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love credit cards.I have never paid any interest. they allow me to carry a slimmer wallet so as not to spoil the line of my jacket.lol roger

3:59 AM  
Blogger John M Crowther said...

I lost myself there, Jean.

Good one, Roger, I hadn't thought of that!

8:00 AM  
Blogger Andres Useche said...

Well said, John C.
There's gotta be a clinical name for credit card addiction. I know too many that need an antidote.

9:09 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home