The society we live in works on credit, the biggest part of the current financial crisis is banks that are afraid to lend to one another. It's not that they don't have money, they're just afraid to lend it.

Shopping for a car doesn't lower your credit rating nor does checking your rating on a regular basis. Opening a lot of lines of credit will lower your credit rating.

If anyone is afraid of having their credit score lowered by shopping, don't give the dealer any personal information until after you've made up your mind which car and which dealer you want to use.

Given that virtually all businesses, large and small use credit every day, how can we expect individuals to not use it too? It's simply woven into our everyday lives. Credit isn't the problem, people are the problem.

As for credit lines being lowered and cancelled, that's just the fear being transmitted downwards. We have to remember that to creditors, being responsible means they don't make as much money. People who pay off their credit card bills regularly are referred to as "deadbeats" in the credit card business. Ironically enough, in the midst of all this craziness, I've had interest rates lowered, credit lines increased and offers for more cards coming in thru the mail slot with ever increasing frequency. My girlfriend has had her line of credit increased without being asked several times recently. We can proudly go into even deeper debt at a moment's notice...;^)

John E