The term I have heard for this is "productive debt" vs "unproductive debt". Productive debt helps you make money. For someone starting out, that might be a mod

The term I have heard for this is "productive debt" vs "unproductive debt". Productive debt helps you make money. For someone starting out, that might be a modest car loan to get to work. Unproductive debt just helps you consume. Once your car is past the basic point-A to point-B automobile, a loan to but it is unproductive debt.