CC bill: What’s your damage??

I just got my CC bill that would include (I hope) all of the Christmas
Gifts on it. For several years (pre-CPF) I was proud of myself for paying it off each month so I did not have to pay interest. It appears them days is over for quite sometime.I came close to Four thousand dollars owed. Not to worry I have a higher credit limit,But geez how in the heck did I spend almost FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS??? I guess I will not be buying too many things for a good while. I know it was not all lights for me and some of the gifts for my wife and son were high dollar (at least high dollar for me)
Any one else get a little carried away with spending? Or do I stick out like a sore thumb.
Topper

I am sure your situation is not unique. I would sudjest that the higher credit limit is a bad idea, atleast it is for me. Whenever the card companies say they can get me a higher limit I say no thanks. I like to have some sort of limit to the damage I can do with it. That way I can dig my self out without to much trouble.

Curently I am not carying a balance on any cards. :rock:

Brlux

It's not easy. For many years I had a good sized CC bill but when good times and lots of overtime came in the mid and late 90s, I paid it off and said "never again." But then a year and a half ago, I buy a condo and almost immediately get hit with a $4800 roofing assessment. Credit card offers 4.9% financing on new charges good until balance is paid off but only for a limited time. So I put it on that knowing it will take me a couple/few years to pay it off but swearing not to put any more new charges on it as the 4.9% window of opportunity closed. I get a second CC for monthly expenses fully expecting to pay that off each and every month. But now with unexpected car repairs and Christmas bills, that is nearly a grand and I find I cannot afford to pay it off at the end of the month. I really hope to pay it off come tax return but will probably also have to pay for a good chunk of mother's upcoming funeral (latter stages of lung cancer) so I don't know if I will be able to do so.

You can see where I'm going. It's very easy to accumulate credit card debt, often without realizing it. My total is about four grand. I know that's not a lot for some but it is for me.

Mine was +$4000. I didn't spend what I didn't have so it wasn't a shock.
I was generous this year to my non flashaholic relatives but, and I say this with reserve, I think I may have brought 3 more newbies to the bright side.

Hehe... my job involves a bit of travel. When I travel, I get a per diem for food, and can pocket whatever I don't spend. I lucked out, and got sent on business trips for a couple of weeks in December, where I ate nothing but Burger King and free hotel breakfasts... so Christmas was pretty much paid for

(total Christmas debt: $0)

Of course I don't have kids or anything, which helps. My girlfriend is my biggest expense, but a friend of mine in a jewelry store hooked me up with some 1/2 carat diamond earings at 75% off list price, which made her Christmas special and saved me a pile of money.

half carrot stones are very, very, nice. VS grade?

Wow! that's alot of carrots for xmas present

My damage is also quite considerable ($7217.81) considering I had to cover both side of fence. But heh they only come once a year, thank goodness :sweat:

who, me? I just saw my name
On a related note, I am pretty sure that when I get my first CC the billing list will probably read like... Surefire, Surefire, Surefire, Surefire... :/ You get the picture.

I'm just shy of 5k, myself. It'll get paid down quickly, though, not all at once like I'd normally do but it's Christmas, right??

I don'y carry any balances but the consumer reports radio show I heard today was saying that as of 2006, most credit card companies are doubling the minimum payment percentage.
Good for consumers in the long run but it could be a shock when opening the bill.

My heavy spending period was right before christmas(2 rifles, one pistol, one computer, lots of ammunition, bunch of lights, lots of 123s, countless paypals for modding parts, late night Denny's runs), came to around 3000 bucks. THankfully I paid it all off cuz I know AmEx is nasty wehn it comes to late payments....

Savings account.

Only used CC to get points.