Bravo to Gabrielle De Moras (letter, April 13). Her old-school frugal philosophy still holds true today. She, and many others, have their heads on straight. Unfortunately, an alarming number of people today live well beyond what they can afford.

As I see it, many use credit cards as though the flow of money is endless. It is easy to accumulate a mountain of debt. The majority simply cannot maintain their crazy, spend-free lifestyle. Far too few dig themselves out of their financial abyss.

The prevailing theory of using credit cards to achieve a favorable credit status with lending institutions leads many to undesirable consequences. With the increased ways to spend via smart phones, etc., it becomes more difficult to manage finances.

My advice is to cut them up. Try to live without the swipe.

Let’s take a different charge to life. Taking control of personal finances requires a strategy. Ask yourself, just because friends have certain items, do you really need them? Perhaps you can save money up for any future necessities.

Slowly or, perhaps, cold turkey, you can wean yourself from the addiction.

Maybe we could start a club for frugal people. Members could offer ideas to save and survive financially.

For example, my favorite food is an Italian sandwich. There are several places around the L-A area that sell them for less than $2. Why would I pay more than $4 to buy one somewhere else?

Mark Vasiliauskas, Greene