> I think this is a good point, but the sort of people who would need a year to save $1200 do not have the sort of credit to get a 10% APR credit card, APR's cl

> I think this is a good point, but the sort of people who would need a year to save $1200 do not have the sort of credit to get a 10% APR credit card, APR's closer to 20% or higher are more likely. My credit score according to Credit Karma is 811, which I think everyone could agree is very good. I just spot checked two of my credit cards, and they're both at about 16% interest. Now, maybe I could get a lower rate if I asked, but that's what they gave me by default. It doesn't matter to me since I never carry a balance (in fact, I didn't even know what the interest rate was; I had to go look). But 10% does seem pretty optimistic. That said, I agree with the overall point. It should be acceptable to use credit in the situation described, as long as you're completely aware of the actual cost and are making a rational decision. Unfortunately, too few people do the math, and even for very educated and intelligent people, purchasing decisions can be irrational.