Chase dynamic island debt clock

As of this writing, the United States is ~$34.7 trillion in debt. I think we’re far enough away from the gold standard that a trillion here or there doesn’t mean much, but then again, I’m a designer, not an expert on economic policy.

Systemic institutional debt is unnerving, but personal debts are far more anxiety-inducing. Whether you need to pay off a house, car, student loan, or credit card, owing money to someone or something creates stress. I have what some people call “good debt” (a mortgage), but when I pay my mortgage, it doesn’t feel good.

Thankfully, I’ve largely avoided credit card debt. However, the average United States citizen holds nearly $7,000 in credit card debt according to… a Google search.

When you know you need to do something, sometimes you’ll intentionally avoid it. I do this sometimes with yardwork or taxes, but it always gets done eventually. For debts, avoiding them can have real, significant consequences.

To that end, what if there was a feature with popular card providers like Chase where you could watch a real-time preview of your outstanding amount owed grow? This would be a great way to ensure you always know how much you owe. It would also cause many people a lot of stress. The idea of a “debt clock” isn’t a new concept, but a personal debt clock that lives on an operating system level is not something I’ve seen before.

Have a friend who’s in crazy amounts of debt? Send them this newsletter.

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