OK folks it's another bout of Heads Up time again! I have just finished reading an extremely frightening report that even if only partly true should actually go a long way to frighten the pants off most free thinking level headed individuals.



The report was the final draft of a study into the dramatic rise in the indebtedness of the average young American. It really was a case of ?Generation X has given way to Generation Broke?. As of the date of this article, the outstanding US National Debt was in excess of $8 Trillion and given the estimated population of the US is approximately 300 million that makes that each citizens share of this debt is roughly $28,500!

The other really frightening sub plot to this entire catalogue of disasters was that by and large we are all spending merrily away, charging things to plastic left right and centre in some vain attempt to by some sort of fiscal happiness but the sad thing is??.no one really knows or has figured out yet what it would take or how much we need to actually make ourselves happy?

Now this really is worrying.

It has long been an established line of thinking that lurking not far beneath the surface of us all lies a fiscal monster just waiting for the right moment to break free of its shackles and unleash itself upon the local High Street or Mall like some fiduciary out of control Tyrannosaurus Rex.

But wait, the Dinosaurs had very little brains and so could not evolve. Have you ever been on the inside of a Retail Store on the first day of the sales and seen the unspeakable savagery unleashed by the pent up force of those desperate for a bargain? If you had, you would realise why the Tyrannosaurs have been replaced by much smaller and more lethal creatures called ?The Consumer?.

If we take a look at the financial landscape we might get some idea of the cause or at least some insight into the background of where we are at the moment. Get a load of this??..the average household juggles with an amazing 16 credit cards! SIXTEEN! Now this figure is not necessarily that frightening until you take into consideration the fact that the real problem is that the average family or consumer doesn't clear their balances on a Monthly basis.

Who does I hear you ask? Indeed if we all did then the Credit Card and Financial Houses would soon go bust but therein lies the other part of the problem. The rise in availability and variety of the Credit Card itself and this takes me rather neatly back to the opening paragraphs and the whole ?Generation Broke? Concept.

Today's 18-24 year olds are experiencing the twin pronged assault of two financial dangers: dramatic rises in the cost of college and University fees and fanatically aggressive marketing of credit cards on University and College Campuses.

It is very much a case of ?Pssst, wanna a shiny new credit card?.no problems??..sure, how many do you want? Just sign here?.