Did anyone teach you this growing up, or did you have to find out the hard way?
Credit scores
Reward you for staying in debt. Having no debt often lowers your score. The system incentivizes constant borrowing, not financial independence.
Savings accounts
Interest rates rarely keep pace with inflation, so money in a savings account quietly loses real purchasing power over time.
Payday loans
Marketed as short-term relief, they charge APRs of 300-400%, trapping people in a cycle of rolling debt.
Minimum payments
Credit card minimum payments are calibrated to maximize interest paid over a decade, not to help you get out of debt.
Timeshares
Sold as investments that appreciate, but nearly impossible to exit, with rising maintenance fees and little resale value.