Temptation

Every 2 years I get a new credit card from the bank (I'm good - I only have one). Every 2 years, somewhere on my accompanying letter, is my credit limit. It's never listed on my monthly statement - at least not that I can find, although they list all sorts of other strange things. It goes up now and then apparently.

I do my best to never exceed my credit limit, though there are months when it's been a close call. However, recently I received a letter from the bank, indicating that my credit limit has been increased by 2,000 bucks from a previously unknown high, apparently instituted last year. I now have a credit limit 5,000 bucks more than what I thought I had!

Here's the temptation - to go out and splurge! I know it means I'll owe the bank, and they'll happily charge me interest etc. But it would take a lot of spending to get anywhere near my new credit limit. Heck, I could even buy a small car if I wanted to!

One very big thing holding me back is the fact that I have to close my bank accounts when I leave South Africa - and repay anything that might be in the negatives. I know I'll need every cent to start a new life on the other side of the planet, so I can't afford to be in huge amounts of debt.

But the temptation is still there to go buy, buy, buy. To actually get the stuff we've been wishing for. To buy luxuries we don't need - especially in the food department. To get that DVD player we've eyed for ages, or the one on special right now. And then to replace videos with DVDs, for which we'd need a decent surround-sound system, and then a rack to store the DVDs, and then.... well, you get the picture.

I'm off to do my weekly shop at the mall this afternoon. Lord, give me strength to resist flashing my card around where it don't belong! :)