I just charge it
Where do I sign?
Charge it
Show me the dotted line
Charge it
I don’t have the time to waste

Credit-card industry may cut $2 trillion lines

(Reuters) - The U.S. credit-card industry may pull back well over $2 trillion of lines over the next 18 months due to risk aversion and regulatory changes, leading to sharp declines in consumer spending, prominent banking analyst Meredith Whitney said. …

Closing millions of accounts, cutting credit lines and raising interest rates are just some of the moves credit card issuers are using to try to inoculate themselves from a tsunami of expected consumer defaults.

My Astyk-influenced wife is now bugging me to cut back on the credit card. I use it for almost everything, then send off a huge payment every month, telling myself that’s OK, but she’s right of course. Or they’re right. I don’t think as hard about buying extra groceries when it all comes down to a swipe of plastic at the end. I’d gladly use the debit card, but reports of card number hijacking put me in fear of overdrafts and whatnot. For all their flaws, credit cards offer some protection against fraud. And carrying enough cash to pay for gasoline just worries me.

Astyk also noticed that McDonalds “food” has become the second most-charged purchase in the USA. Astyk-Hat also has my wife cutting out meat, replacing it with beans and rice.

Full lyrics to Charge It, by Tim Curry:

Well, you can Telex my accountant
Call up Tele-Credit, too
I know they send a monthly statement
But I’ve never read it through
You say you won’t accept my Visa
Or American Express
The computer is suspicious
‘Cause I’ve got no fixed address
Lady, that’s a valid document
Check out the way I’m dressed!
You know the way I’m feelin’ now,
I’d take a lie-detector test!

Paradise lost for capital gain
Traded for a ticket on the gravy train
I can amortize the cost,
With a minimum of pain
But I need it for a write off,
Can’t take another night off
You know I never carry change….

I just charge it
Where do I sign?
Charge it
Show me the dotted line
Charge it
I don’t have the time to waste
Charge it
Oh, don’t mess around
Charge it
I got to get downtown
‘Cause I promised to deliver
To live up to the letter of the Lord,
I’m in a state of grace
Yeah, Baby, Yeah
Oh! Oh!

Well, I’ve enjoyed us doing business
But I really must confess
This pompous attitute just isn’t calculated to impress
There’s a driver in my car outside
Who’s easily distressed
Lady, when he’s through with you
He’s gonna leave your face a mess!

Paradise lost for capital gain
Traded for a ticket on the gravy train
I can amortize the cost with a minimum of pain
But I need it for a write off
Can’t take another night off
You know I never carry change

I just Charge it
Where do I sign?
Charge it
Show me the dotted line
Charge it
I don’t have the time to waste
Charge it
Oh, don’t mess around
Charge it
I got to get downtown
‘Cause I promised to deliver
To live up to the letter of the Lord,
I’m in a state of grace
There goes that feelin’, Babe

Equal opportunity there!

Charge it
Where do I sign?
Charge it
Show me the dotted line
Charge it
I don’t have the time to waste

Oh, don’t mess around, Babe
Don’t mess around, Babe
Charge it
Where do I sign?
Charge it
Show me the dotted line
I don’t have the time to
Charge it
What is that?
A blue one? I don’t have a blue one!
A red one? I don’t have a red one!
Oh, just that gold one
I don’t know, do they come in platinum?
Oh !
Where do I sign?
I don’t know…
Maybe I can just make my mark…
I don’t know, do you read???
Are you literate, Babe???
Are you numerate, Babe???
Do you get laid, Babe???

I don’t carry green, it’s just…
It makes such a bulge in the pocket
You like the suit?
There’s…there’s something in the piping in the back
I wanted to have changed,
But my Spanish tailor didn’t fly in last week
You know him? He’s called Manuel
But he always makes the pocket so that if you put money in it, It looks so ugly
Oh, cash, Babe
…Cash
Oh, fine! Send for the manager!
You can’t be the manager!
Are you kidding? There’s a serious problem in personnel!