Too Much Credit

Ever feel like you have too many credit cards? This may not be a problem for our Oratory students, but for many adults this can be a legitimate issue. For an adult, you’d think five or six credit cards might be pushing the limit, yes? As it turns out, there is a man who has 1,497 credit cards… and the pile’s still growing.

The man is Walter Cavanagh, whose plastic endeavor began back in the 1960s when he and a friend made a bet. The original bet was to see “who could collect the most credit cards by the end of the year.” Cavanagh ultimately accumulated 143 cards, beating his friend by five cards. After the bet, Cavanagh continued to collect cards, earning him the title “Mr. Plastic Fantastic” in the Guinness Book of World Records. His collection now includes credit cards from every imaginable place, including gas stations, airliners, bars, and even a little ice cream store in Texas. What is perhaps more outrageous than Cavanagh’s extensive credit card collection is his actual credit. Surprisingly, Cavanagh has handled his credit quite well; with $1.7 million at his disposal, Cavanagh himself stated that his credit score is, “nearly perfect.”

It just goes to show, you should follow your dreams, you should set your own records… just try not to drown yourself in plastic and bad credit! Follow Cavanagh’s example, try to find the balance between good credit, and too much credit.

Credits to: Abcnews.go.com, “Man Has 1.497 Credit Cards”