About Okanee

Okaneh is the Japanese word for ‘Money’.

To make it simple and easy to remember, I just invented the word OKANEE, and registered it as the name for this blog site.

My thinking is - that we can all learn from the Japanese regarding the responsible use of money, credit and finance in general.

In a Reuters article published in Jan 2007, Japan’s savings rate was actually at it’s lowest at 3.1% (they peaked at around 23% in the mid-70s).

In comparison, the average American is in a deficit. You probably owe more to credit cards, banks, mortgages, etc. than assets that you have.

Especially so if you recently bought a house within the last 3 years.

Hello, I’m Charlie Cruze your Credit Crusader.

Up until I was 26 years old, I grew up in a country where consumer credit was virtually non-existent. My parents had a 15-year mortgage, plus a 10-year car loan.

That’s it. No credit cards, no other bank loans.

When I migrated to the US, I protected my credit. The very first credit card offer I ever got was an American Express Gold card.

I needed one for business travel purposes. Because it was an American Express card, I got into the habit of paying off my balances at the end of the month - even as I transitioned to Visa/Mastercard.

Over the years I’ve had a variety of exposures to consumer credit, particularly in real estate and small business credit.

In general I’m an advocate AGAINST credit, except for the following:

• • Real estate, where I’ve made well over a 6-figure income in profits, using credit.
  • Car loans.
  • Student loans for my kids.
  • Personal emergency situations that are temporary in nature.

My goal with this blog is to share with you my personal financial experiences, and hopefully help you use credit wisely to grow your personal wealth.