<prompt> Human: ...unless you are a business leveraging cash to purchase capital goods. Using credit tor purchase end-user consumer goods is the road to ruin. Buy the following with cash: flat screen tv, trip to Hawaii, bedroom furniture, everything else. Do you think it is possible to do that? If no, why not?  <response>: Assuming you are in the middle class like most of rpersonalfinance, you really cant afford not to build credit. Most people cannot afford to purchase high value items like cars and homes with cash. Debt is a tool that can be used very responsibly. Like anything else, if you abuse it youll have to deal with the nasty consequences. 