We Normalized Owing Everyone Money

Video Description

Why is this normal now? || Try Rocket Money for free: https://RocketMoney.com/cara ✏️ Check out my new newsletter, The Pop Finance Report: https://thepopfinancereport.substack.com/ !! Making money make sense—through media and pop culture. 🎥 More about this video: We’re living in a time where owing money seems to have become... normal. From Venmo requests and Buy Now Pay Later plans to subscriptions and split payments, micro-debt has crept into our everyday lives — and most of us don’t even realize how much it’s costing us. In this video, I dive into how our relationship with debt has changed, why we’ve become desensitized to owing money, and how small financial decisions can quietly snowball into major stress. We’ll look at the history of debt culture, the psychological traps behind modern financing, and the real emotional toll of always being in the red — even just a little. Whether you're trying to take back control of your finances or simply want to understand the systems that influence your spending, this video is for you. Want more videos on money, media, society, and intentional living? Be sure to subscribe for more video essays! 🔍 Resources mentioned: Average American debt: https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/credit-score/average-american-debt Average subscriptions: https://bango.com/reports/subscription-wars-super-bundling-awakens/ Debtor Nation: https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691156163/debtor-nation?srsltid=AfmBOoogP3Ip_hgOpU4OXxuP-GT8-KijbSMy87_wtk-V5KkEjTG02sCT Borrow: https://history.jhu.edu/faculty-books/borrow-the-american-way-of-debt/ Dutch culture and debt: https://dutchreview.com/expat/financial/why-credit-cards-not-accepted-in-netherlands/ US credit card debt: https://www.aol.com/finance/us-credit-card-debt-hit-123000095.html CFPB report on BNPL plans: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-research-reveals-heavy-buy-now-pay-later-use-among-borrowers-with-high-credit-balances-and-multiple-pay-in-four-loans/ Motley Fool survey on financial stress: https://www.fool.com/money/research/financial-stress-anxiety-and-mental-health-survey/ 💌 Want to support the channel? Here are a few ways!: - One-time donation: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/cara.nicole - Join my Patreon: patreon.com/caranicole - My Etsy (budget spreadsheets!): https://www.etsy.com/shop/FinancialFreedomGirl?ref=profile_header - Subscribe to my newsletter: https://thepopfinancereport.substack.com/ 🎥 Check out some of my other videos! 🎥 - Let's talk the 'Buy Now Pay Later' Trap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V-dsLDV97M&t=33s - Let's talk being 'House Poor''.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eF1S7inuT38&t=18s - Let's talk being 'Car Poor': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYei1daW7Es&t=368s - 'Fake Rich Flexing': Cybertrucks Edition! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_3EMbp0nm4&t=75s - Let’s talk the Golden Handcuffs Trap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK6XoJ2f_nY Time Stamps: 00:00 everyone owes money? 04:00 my experience + Rocket Money 05:47 history of debt culture 09:01 debt isn't taboo in USA 10:37 micro-debt everywhere Keywords for some sweet, sweet metadata: debt culture, micro debt, buy now pay later, klarna, affirm, venmo requests, credit card debt, financial wellness, subscription culture, emotional spending, financial anxiety, minimalist finance, spending habits, financial literacy, money psychology, Rocket Money, budgeting tips, personal finance 2025, cancel subscriptions, money and mental health, financial clutter, subscription trap, broke culture, financial fog, money management, behavioral economics #videoessay #personalfinance #debt #buynowpaylater