Credit alerts. Where are we headed?

Has this happened to you? Several friends have recently received notices from credit card companies notifying them that their credit card limit has been reduced, often drastically. All of these people have excellent credit and pay their bills on time, and often pay the entire balance each month.

On a personal level it’s insulting. A bank is telling you that you’re not worthy. On a spending level it’s only limiting you to writing a check or spending what you have. This makes it difficult to make large purchases internationally (the economic implications are vast) or get air miles (which are almost worthless) on large purchases.

However, on another level I’m fascinated. Through economic crisis we are now limited to buy what we can afford and make large purchases close to home. This restriction forces us to buy what we value most and to stop spending as much. We are then forced to pay attention to other types of hobbies besides shopping. We can get more exercise, work in the garden, spend time with friends and family. A couple weeks ago my husband and I entertained some friends at home. We kept it simple with gourmet pizzas and salad, and played games until 1 am. The time flew by and we really learned a lot about each other and ourselves through the game. It was one of the most enjoyable evenings I’ve had in a while.

If we move beyond the obvious restriction that this credit limit places on spending, we can see that we are restructuring our values on a global level. A negative action is actually creating positive growth and a return to valuing what’s really important in life – our bodies,  people and the environment around us.