Article: SWIMMING IN DEBT CREDIT CARDS ARE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE

The envelopes arrive in mailboxes by the handfuls, offering everything from low introductory rates and high balance limits to eye- catching designs and preapproved acceptance.

Credit cards have become an American way of life. They are now considered a staple in an economy essentially dependent upon consumer credit, where people are less likely to buy big-ticket items with "cash on the barrel."

Becky Pike, 24, now refers to her credit cards as "one of the worst things" she's ever had.

A 2000 graduate of the University of Southern Indiana, Pike said she suspects she'd "have $10,000 in the bank right now" if it weren't

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