re: What grade do you give your personal finance skills?

quote:

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debt was a curse word to us growing up.

I'm getting better at accepting it, but I still wouldn't say I'm comfortable with it.

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Like anything else it is a matter of fully understanding opportunities and pitfalls.

What debt options are available?
What is their risk vs benefit, given your personal circumstance?

Debt, coupled with associated tax advantages, can serve as an excellent leverage vehicle. It can serve as an effective inflation hedge. But as your father would likely attest, it can also be a runaway train to insolvency or financial disadvantage.