I don’t think most people wake up one morning and decide, “Today I’m going to get myself deeply into debt.”

It usually happens differently.

We want something, or convince ourselves we need it, and someone shows us a monthly payment we can afford.

That’s where the trouble begins.

I recently experienced this twice.

The first was buying a new living room set. I knew what I wanted, negotiated the price, and prepared to pay cash. The salesperson suggested financing for 18 months because it was “interest free.” When I pointed out it was deferred interest, she insisted it was interest free. My wife and I ultimately took the financing to help establish credit for our younger son, but as she filled out the application, she repeated that it was interest free and never showed me the terms.

When the paperwork printed, there it was: 39% interest.

If the balance wasn’t fully paid by the end of the promotional period, the accumulated interest would be charged retroactively.

When I pointed this out, she claimed the terms were between me and the credit company—she was just selling furniture.

A few weeks later, the first statement arrived showing a minimum payment nowhere near what was required to pay off the balance within 18 months.

If you just pay the minimum, you’re headed for a massive surprise.

The exact same dynamic played out when I bought a car.

My son had just gotten his driver’s license, so we needed another vehicle. I decided to buy a car for my wife, drive the minivan myself, and give my older 4Runner to my son.

I researched, negotiated, and intended to pay cash.

In the finance office, the pitch started.

The finance manager urged me to finance and invest my cash instead. When I asked for the interest rate, he pitched an extended warranty, deflecting cost questions by saying it would just be included in the monthly payment.

He eventually offered a five-year payment that was way too high.

When I balked, he offered to lower it by stretching the loan to seven years.

The car wasn’t cheaper. The interest hadn’t disappeared. He just stretched out the timeline.

I stopped him, picked up my checkbook, and paid cash.

Both experiences left me frustrated.

Yes, consumers must take responsibility—read the contract, calculate the total cost, and know the difference between a want and a need.

But sales systems are explicitly designed around human psychology.

A $600 monthly payment sounds manageable.

$43,000 plus interest sounds daunting.

The payment gets stretched, warranties get rolled in, and the customer feels like the problem is solved.

It isn’t. The obligation hasn’t disappeared. It’s simply been stretched out.

What happens when the system rewards the person closing the sale, while the long-term financial fallout belongs entirely to the customer?

This is why I constantly talk to my kids about money.

I tell them:

Money says, “Save me now, and I will save you later.”

Financial freedom comes from knowing the difference between what you can afford and what you can finance—and understanding that a monthly payment isn’t the price of an item.

It’s just how the price is being presented to you.

Sami Joueidi holds a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering and brings over 15 years of experience leading AI-driven transformations across startups and enterprises. A seasoned technology leader, Sami has led customer adoption programs, cross-functional engineering teams, and go-to-market strategies that deliver real business impact.

He’s passionate about turning complex ideas into practical solutions, and about helping teams bridge the gap between innovation and execution. Whether architecting scalable systems or demystifying AI concepts, Sami brings a blend of strategic thinking and hands-on problem-solving to every challenge. © Sami Joueidi and www.cafesami.com, 2025. Feel free to share excerpts with proper credit and a link back to the original post.