

~ Let's all be EARTH friendly ~
Is it possible to live a normal life without using a credit card? Yes. A bit. In my country. ~
Unfortunately since I arrived last December to join my husband, my world turns upside down. I used to have adequate cash in my wallet but now, each purchase I make goes through the credit card machine. As soon as I get home, I'll be rushing to go online to check if I did not exceed half of the amount of my credit limit. It's a tip from hubby so that there will always be a spare dollar just in case.
I'm thankful that God did not allow me to come to America alone. It would have been very difficult for me. I'm thankful that hubby's right here supporting and guiding me. He provided all the necessary things I needed to start and cope with the system. That's what I'm telling my sister who also plans to work in the US. Starting is never easy in this country and the bait!!! Once settled with the bank and all, credit loan offers pour!!!
I was never good in Math and I don't think I'll ever be (unlike hubby who eats Math like a snack
). Accounting is out of my vocabulary but I'm willing to learn ~ slightly....
Between hubby and I, he's the one good at budgeting.. I"M SAVED!!! 
Today, on TV and on the internet, a lot of debt relief strategies are advertised. Obviously, there's a demand on this market. The good news is that majority can be relieved through self help scheme designed by some debt relief companies. Bills.com provide credit information, credit score, credit report, home loans, bill pay, health insurance, debt consolidation loan and of course debt relief. From mortgage to bankruptcy, Bills.com helps the consumer how to recover from debt through their articles and counseling.
I surely hope we will never reach that stage where finances go down the drain and problems with the blood sucking collection agency crawl up like tiny lice in ones head. Saving and delayed gratification are the answers to most of our problems. Being discreet in our choices matters too. So, learn to differentiate between WANTS and NEEDS ; balanced relaxation and excessive leisure recreation. Simple life. Simple wants. Simple needs.
Don't ask me which one is better because for me it's just the same. It's both providing protection at a given cost.





I deflect any medical forecast you have in your brain about my own addiction for I know one disease will enter your mind. The big D. I bet if there's rehab center for coke and chocolate addicts, like the beautiful alcohol rehab center in Malibu... I wouldn't mind if hubby will enroll me there. Hehehehe
Women will understand "the feeling" when I say that monthly food cravings occur within the cycle. Nowadays I'm also bingeing on banana chips! Hubby can tell when I just chomped chunks of it from my breath - banana essence flavor.
For a time being I've stopped buying diet COKE, just my next best choice actually.. I think I'll die and will never convince myself that diet Coke has the exact taste and the same HIGH as what the regular COKE gives. I think 4 weeks of Aspartame is enough but not my chocolates yet. My Hershey Bars - all time favorite since the very first day it met my tongue - ahh just a sight of it in the fridge is enough to blow away my hunger induced torpid wit. Pardon me, but I don't think I am alone on this earth although reactions differ from person to person. Is it psychological attachment or there's really something in chocolates that make people crave? According to what I read substances like phenylethylamine, theobromine, anandamide and tryptophan trigger mood enhancing chemicals and neurotransmitters to be released in the brain. Anyhoo, here comes my drug rehab info: (from Is Chocolate Physiologically or Psychologically Addictive?by Gwen Slaughter)
Phenylethylamine is a chemical found in the body that is similar to amphetamine. It helps mediate feelings of giddiness, attraction, euphoria and excitement.
Theobromine is a close structural relative of caffeine, but has one-tenth the stimulating effect caffeine has. Although theobromine is a weak stimulant, it can increase pulse rate. And, withdrawal from theobromine has been found to cause migraines.
Anandamide activates the same cellular receptors as THC, the agent in marijuana that causes a person to feel "high". Chocolate does not contain enough anandamide to produce a global high like marijuana. Other researchers have found that most of the anandamide found in chocolate is broken down by stomach acid before it even reaches the blood stream.
Tryptophan, an essential amino acid, which plays a role in the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin is a calming neurotransmitter that makes people feel relaxed and satisfied and is essential for a well-balanced mood. Many people eat chocolate to relieve anxiety, but is unlikely that tryptophan is solely responsible for chocolate cravings or a chocolate addiction because it can be obtained from other food sources, such as carbohydrates, as well.
So, that explains why I get the "HIGH" and why I grab a chocolate bar each time I feel lonely and sad. It's just a basic scientific understanding how we got addicted to something, which causes which that when realized helps to boost the will power - which by the way in my own opinion is the primary tool to get over dependency. Oh lemme share with you a site wherein you can find addiction resource information, just in case.
Just click the link and you'll get there. They have illustrations and helpful info about how the drug can interfere with the normal brain functions.
Let me close by writing a quote: