Comments on: Visualizing Uncle Sam’s Debt http://www.mint.com/blog/finance-core/visualizing-uncle-sams-debt/ The blog of the free, simple personal finance solution. Track all your spending automatically, find the best deals, save more money. And save the world. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:48:42 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Mike http://www.mint.com/blog/finance-core/visualizing-uncle-sams-debt/comment-page-1/#comment-36451 Mike Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:42:13 +0000 http://blog.mint.com/blog/?p=549#comment-36451 Thanks for the illustration. About 2 years ago our family began to cut expenses and pay down our debt. We are getting close to a $0 credit card balance. It is hard to say no to yourself and family when it comes to things we want but if we had not begun 2 years ago, we would be in serious trouble now. Reduced pay and work hours would have forced us to chose what bill to pay. As it is we are near the end of our belt tightening and are getting ready to celebrate! This is the Rx for a healthy America! Thanks for the illustration. About 2 years ago our family began to cut expenses and pay down our debt. We are getting close to a $0 credit card balance. It is hard to say no to yourself and family when it comes to things we want but if we had not begun 2 years ago, we would be in serious trouble now. Reduced pay and work hours would have forced us to chose what bill to pay. As it is we are near the end of our belt tightening and are getting ready to celebrate! This is the Rx for a healthy America! ]]> By: Martin Krsek http://www.mint.com/blog/finance-core/visualizing-uncle-sams-debt/comment-page-1/#comment-31359 Martin Krsek Wed, 20 May 2009 07:32:51 +0000 http://blog.mint.com/blog/?p=549#comment-31359 More interestingly, the PRC (Peoples' Republic of China) credit card!? More interestingly, the PRC (Peoples’ Republic of China) credit card!? ]]> By: Doug http://www.mint.com/blog/finance-core/visualizing-uncle-sams-debt/comment-page-1/#comment-30439 Doug Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:57:12 +0000 http://blog.mint.com/blog/?p=549#comment-30439 That's a fantastic visualization of all the credit card debt the US has. It's disgusting to see how much we owe. Maybe they should consolidate their "credit cards" into one, low-interest account! (Sorry, a little bit of industry humor.) Doug That’s a fantastic visualization of all the credit card debt the US has. It’s disgusting to see how much we owe.

Maybe they should consolidate their “credit cards” into one, low-interest account! (Sorry, a little bit of industry humor.)

Doug

]]> By: Pete http://www.mint.com/blog/finance-core/visualizing-uncle-sams-debt/comment-page-1/#comment-28462 Pete Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:00:47 +0000 http://blog.mint.com/blog/?p=549#comment-28462 Neither Neuschwanstein nor the "capital building (?)". It's the castle of Vianden, around 30 km north east to Luxembourg City. And, by the way: why can Luxembourg lend that much money to the States? Maybe because it's a "socialist" country (compared to the US).... Neither Neuschwanstein nor the “capital building (?)”.
It’s the castle of Vianden, around 30 km north east to Luxembourg City.

And, by the way: why can Luxembourg lend that much money to the States? Maybe because it’s a “socialist” country (compared to the US)….

]]> By: josh http://www.mint.com/blog/finance-core/visualizing-uncle-sams-debt/comment-page-1/#comment-28400 josh Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:34:10 +0000 http://blog.mint.com/blog/?p=549#comment-28400 actually it's not a castle from bavaria. that's the ancient 'capital' building in luxembourg. oops! actually it’s not a castle from bavaria. that’s the ancient ‘capital’ building in luxembourg. oops! ]]> By: genieyclo http://www.mint.com/blog/finance-core/visualizing-uncle-sams-debt/comment-page-1/#comment-27624 genieyclo Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:16:15 +0000 http://blog.mint.com/blog/?p=549#comment-27624 Oops indeed. Oops indeed. ]]> By: Cammy http://www.mint.com/blog/finance-core/visualizing-uncle-sams-debt/comment-page-1/#comment-27561 Cammy Sat, 15 Nov 2008 08:43:40 +0000 http://blog.mint.com/blog/?p=549#comment-27561 No one has mentioned that the Luxembourg card has a picture of the castle Neuschwanstein in the background - which is in Bavaria, Germany. Opps. No one has mentioned that the Luxembourg card has a picture of the castle Neuschwanstein in the background – which is in Bavaria, Germany. Opps. ]]> By: Harry Tran http://www.mint.com/blog/finance-core/visualizing-uncle-sams-debt/comment-page-1/#comment-27482 Harry Tran Wed, 12 Nov 2008 06:13:38 +0000 http://blog.mint.com/blog/?p=549#comment-27482 Just like a typical family, just having debt isn't the biggest issue. Its never good to have too much debt but $50,000 for a family is still repayable. People have this all the time. The issue is when the family doesn't have an income to pay the debt with. With all our service only jobs left in the US and offshoring and outsourcing everything else, we kind of ran out of work to do that will earn income to make the payments. Just like a typical family, just having debt isn’t the biggest issue. Its never good to have too much debt but $50,000 for a family is still repayable. People have this all the time.

The issue is when the family doesn’t have an income to pay the debt with. With all our service only jobs left in the US and offshoring and outsourcing everything else, we kind of ran out of work to do that will earn income to make the payments.

]]> By: Harry Tran http://www.mint.com/blog/finance-core/visualizing-uncle-sams-debt/comment-page-1/#comment-27480 Harry Tran Wed, 12 Nov 2008 06:06:30 +0000 http://blog.mint.com/blog/?p=549#comment-27480 What amazes me more than the balances that are shown here are what was being spent by the country with these cards. Just like your oridinary household who ends up spending to buy a tv or a car the government seems to have spent most of it on superficial things like payroll and warfare rather than investing into alternative energies or some way to produce profit for our country to pay off that debt. Than again it almosts feels like when you're at the register in Macys and they'll offer you a line of credit so that you'll buy a shirt or two. Kind of like China issuing us an in house line of credit so we don't stop buying their textiles and toys. Hoping the strength of our country will pay them back with interest. What amazes me more than the balances that are shown here are what was being spent by the country with these cards. Just like your oridinary household who ends up spending to buy a tv or a car the government seems to have spent most of it on superficial things like payroll and warfare rather than investing into alternative energies or some way to produce profit for our country to pay off that debt.

Than again it almosts feels like when you’re at the register in Macys and they’ll offer you a line of credit so that you’ll buy a shirt or two. Kind of like China issuing us an in house line of credit so we don’t stop buying their textiles and toys. Hoping the strength of our country will pay them back with interest.

]]> By: JM http://www.mint.com/blog/finance-core/visualizing-uncle-sams-debt/comment-page-1/#comment-27464 JM Tue, 11 Nov 2008 04:55:49 +0000 http://blog.mint.com/blog/?p=549#comment-27464 Yes, those card are amazing. I think the Bank of China card is really the new not-yet-issued Wal-Mart credit card. Yes, those card are amazing. I think the Bank of China card is really the new not-yet-issued Wal-Mart credit card. ]]>