Good credit is a good thing to have, an index of a certain kind of respect and repute; it is not a be-all or end-all but it does go a long way to lubricating the transactions of life.

The surest way NOT to have it is to use credit cards beyond your ability to pay them off. We use several, rotating them, but we never put anything on a credit card that isn't in the bank to pay it, and we deduct it in our checkbook at that time. This takes a it more accounting but it makes for an easier sleep of a night.

I hate debt, and avoid it as much as I can.

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