If you're not saving money you're still living above your means, because statistically, cars break down, fridges quit, houses need new roofs, and people get hurt in car wrecks. If you're buying flatscreen TV's instead of saving money for a rainy day and then using your credit card to buy a new fridge when your fridge dies, that's equivalent to buying flatscreen TV's on a credit card when you can't afford it with your salary.
Having a momentary catastrophic expense like that might require putting money on a credit card and not paying it off immediately. In the long run, though, that shouldn't cause systemic credit card debt because, just as you should have money to save at the end of the month, you should have money to pay down your emergency debts at the end of the month.
Having a momentary catastrophic expense like that might require putting money on a credit card and not paying it off immediately. In the long run, though, that shouldn't cause systemic credit card debt because, just as you should have money to save at the end of the month, you should have money to pay down your emergency debts at the end of the month.