Reply #29: There was no such thing as MC & VISA when I was growing up, [View All]

and even for a number of years after I got my first job. There were Department Store credit cards, but you had to pay them in full at the end of each month. There was lay-a-way plans at a lot of the stores, and the rest was paid with cash! There was no such thing as direct deposit, so you got your paycheck and cashed it. If you COULD, you would put a bit in your savings account at the bank. IT EVEN PAID INTEREST! Not a lot...5% or maybe 6%, but you had that passbook to look at and watch your savings grow. I know I put most of my paycheck in my checking account, paid the bills that were due before the next payday, and took the rest as cash to shop at the store...mostly for groceries. I bought a monthly bus pass so I was always sure I could get to & from work even the times all I had was 10 cents in my wallet and payday was 2 days away.

It's been a very ong time since people had to live strictly on their income alone.