History PlayingWith / CreditCardPlot

** An IdiotPlot in a MundaneFantastic comedy series.
** Alternatively, a form of StatusQuoIsGod

* '''Subverted''':
** Alice saves her credit card for emergencies.
** Alice writes a check, or makes a purchase using a debit card.
** Alice uses her new credit card judiciously to invest in her new business.
* '''Double Subverted''':
** But an expensive car repair comes up, and she charges that on her card, which does some serious damage.
** But she doesn't have enough money in her checking account, so the check or debit purchase bounces, and the bank charges her a fee.
** Alice has a very loose definition of the word "emergency."
** Alice's business fails and she's left with not much more than her credit card debt.

** Alice has maxed out her brand new credit card in the first hour, and ''Several cards'' are involved. She maxed out all of the caps by the time she leaves the mall, and is unable to pay for her parking fee (it's cashless).
** Alice bought ''lots'' of ''really'' expensive big-ticket items, like a yacht, a private jet, etc. After all her spending, her total debt is higher than the country's national debt.

* '''Invoked''': Alice (TheDitz, or even just a NaiveEverygirl) gets a credit card, without understanding how they actually work.
* '''Exploited''': With Alice stuck repaying her credit card bills, her [[WithFriendsLikeThese alleged friends]] go out and do what they want without her.

* '''Straight''': Alice gets a credit card, and goes on an expensive shopping spree with it.

** Alice has maxed out her brand new credit card in the first hour, and ''Several cards'' are involved.
** Alice bought ''really'' expensive big-ticket items, like a yacht, a private jet, etc.

'''Basic Trope''': A character learns a lesson in excessive spending when he or she obtains a credit card, goes on a spending spree, and either gets slapped with debt or maxes the card out when he or she needs it the most.

** Alice is a teenage girl or irresponsible 20-something about to be taught a lesson in money management.

** Alice pays for all her items with cash, or with a debit card - as in, money she actually ''has'' right here and now.
** Alice hears about her friend Bob who got into deep debt trouble, so she swears to never use credit cards. She runs into trouble when trying to get a loan or lease a car because the bank or dealership can't run a credit-check on her simply because she ''has'' no credit. Not "zero" credit, she was never in the system in the first place.

** But she doesn't have enough money in her checking account, so the check or debit purchase bounces, and the bank charges her an extra fee.
** Alice has a very loose definition of the word "emergency."

** Alice is blacklisted by every single credit card company, and her credit score is [[FMinusMinus 0 across the board]].

** The credit card company takes Alice into forced labor when she fails to make payments, citing that that was stipulated in the fine print (that even {{God}} would need an electron microscope to read!)

* '''Zig Zagged''': ???

* '''Exploited''': ???
* '''Defied''':

** Alice decides that since the item is more of a "want" than a "need," she can do without it, or see if it's available cheaper elsewhere.
** Alice never uses credit of ''any'' kind (credit cards, loans, what have you), except maybe for things like buying a house. (And maybe even then.) She pays for everything with cash upfront.
* '''Discussed''': "Poor Alice. I hear she lost everything to the repo-men".
* '''Conversed''': "Repo men only come for secured debt, like houses and cars, not junk bought on a credit card. Still, I have no sympathy for Alice; she should have been more responsible".

Here's a link back to CreditCardPlot, and remember: It's not free money, so you can't just- and there he goes... Oh man, {{this is gonna suck}}...

%% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion:
%%
%%* '''Implied''': ???
%%* '''Plotted A Good Waste''': ???
%%* '''Played For Laughs''': ???
%%* '''Played For Drama''': ???

* '''Defied''': Alice throws the credit card offer away, knowing she'll just get herself into serious trouble.

** Alice pays for all her items with cash, or with a debit card. With money she actually ''has'' right here and now, in other words.

** Alice has maxed out her brand new credit card in the first hour. BonusPoints if ''several cards'' are involved.

* '''Inverted''': Alice pays for all her items with cash, or with a debit card. With money she actually ''has'' right here and now, in other words.

* '''Reconstructed''': Alice uses her credit card only when she can justify it, and only when she can afford to make the payment. The rest of the time, she pays with money she actually has. She builds good credit, which helps her, and she has more peace of mind.

* '''Downplayed''': Although she doesn't fall into debt, Alice ends up spending more on needless shopping than her budget would allow.

* '''Downplayed''': Although she doesn't go bankrupt, Alice ends up spending more on needless shopping than her budget would allow.

* '''Downplayed''': Alice is gets her own bank account and debit card. Although she doesn't go bankrupt, she ends up spending more on needless shopping than her budget would allow.

* '''Downplayed''': ???

* '''Played Straight''': Alice gets a credit card, and goes on an expensive shopping spree with it.

** Alice has maxed out her brand new credit card in the first hour. BonusPoints if ''several cards'' are involved.

* '''Justified''': Alice knows nothing about credit cards (either she was never taught or she's completely ignorant of what credit cards are and how they function).

* '''RealityEnsues''' / '''Deconstructed''': Sure, Alice can charge now. But the bill comes later. And if she can't at least make the minimum payment, it will ruin her credit history. That could be a problem when it comes time to buy a new car, a house, or even rent an apartment or get a job.
* '''Reconstructed''': Alice uses her credit card only when she can justify it, and only when she can afford to make the payment. The rest of the time, she pays with money she actually has. She builds good credit, which helps her, and she has more peace of mind.

* '''Lampshaded''': "Woo! New credit card! Come on, baby, Alice needs a new pair of shoes!"
* '''Averted''': Alice doesn't go bananas with a credit card.
** See Inverted

** An IdiotPlot in a MundaneFantastic comedy series.

* '''Discussed''': "Poor Alice. I hear she lost everything to the repo-men."
* '''Conversed''': "Repo men only come for secured debt, like houses and cars, not junk bought on a credit card. Still, I have no sympathy for Alice; she should have been more responsible."
* '''Played For Laughs''': Almost always is.
* '''Played For Drama''': See "RealityEnsues" and "Enforced"

Here's a link back to CreditCardPlot, and remember: it's not free money, so you can't just- and there he goes...oh man, {{this is gonna suck}}...
----

* '''RealityEnsues''' / ''Deconstructed'': Sure, Alice can charge now. But the bill comes later. And if she can't at least make the minimum payment, it will ruin her credit history. That could be a problem when it comes time to buy a new car, a house, or even rent an apartment or get a job.

* '''RealityEnsues''': Sure, Alice can charge now. But the bill comes later. And if she can't at least make the minimum payment, it will ruin her credit history. That could be a problem when it comes time to buy a new car, a house, or even rent an apartment or get a job.

'''Basic Trope''': A character gets out of control with a credit card.

** Alice has maxed out her brand new credit card in the first hour. BonusPoints if several cards are involved.

* '''Justified''': Alice doesn't really understand how credit cards work, as she has never had one, and no one ever discussed their responsible use with her.

* '''Deconstructed''': Sure, Alice can charge now. But the bill comes later. And if she can't at least make the minimum payment, it will ruin her credit history. That could be a problem when it comes time to buy a new car, a house, or even rent an apartment or get a job.

** Alice is preapproved for a credit card...despite the fact that she's (literally) a dog.
** The credit card company takes Alice into slavery when she fails to make payments, citing that that was stipulated in the fine print (that even {{God}} would need an electron microscope to read!)

* '''Averted''': Alice doesn't go bananas with a credit card, or doesn't even use one.

* '''Played For Drama''': Alice is drowning in debt that she cannot pay, and it's causing problems for her.

'''Basic Trope''': A character gets out of control with a credit card. Compare to AFoolAndHisNewMoneyAreSoonParted.

* '''Exaggerated''': Alice has maxed out her brand new credit card in the first hour. BonusPoints if several cards are involved.

* '''Subverted''': Alice saves her credit card for emergencies.

* '''Double Subverted''': But an expensive car repair comes up, and she charges that on her card, which does some serious damage.

* '''Parodied''': Alice is blacklisted by every single credit card company, and her credit score is [[FMinusMinus 0 across the board]].

* '''Enforced''': An IdiotPlot in a MundaneFantastic comedy series.

Here's a link back to CreditCardPlot, and remember: it's not free money, so you can't just- There he goes...{{this is gonna suck}}

Back to CreditCardPlot

* '''Basic Trope''': A character gets out of control with a credit card. Compare to AFoolAndHisNewMoneyAreSoonParted.

* '''Played For Drama''': Alice is drowning in debt that she cannot pay, and it's causing problems for her.