I have about 100k in debt but 10 times that in assets. If times get bad I can cash out the assets and pay the debt without losing everything. Where people get in trouble is when they mortgage their only home for 150% of its' value. That's just insane.

we live so far below our means, that we feel poor.

What gets me is people that live paycheck to paycheck. I don't understand that. And it's so easy to just live without buying everything you see.

My family is in real estate, so I've talked to some mortgage brokers.

Paying off your credit cards each month doesn't really improve your credit score. Carrying a balance and making payments shows that you are credit worthy and consistent.

Debt free and that ain't going to change - If only because I would not contribute a dime to people like VISA. Dumped the American Express cards back cos I wondered why the fuck I should be paying them for some "status" cards. Cash suits me nicely - don't leave home without it!

The way I see it -- you should be getting smarter every day of your life...

by the time I'm 90, my urine will trade on NYSE.

I am completely HAMMED up?!

Your father has the key, to get in debt because expending more that you can afford on pleasure, mad expensive cars, party etc it's really stupid as you probably won't be able to recover it and you will end on bankrupt.
In the other hand to ask for loans to the bank to make good inversions is a good way to grow (being secure of what you're doing). If you let your savings at the bank, they won't pay you more than a 2%. Getting a loan from the bank they will get from you a 3% to 5% or so. Then invest it on homes, locals to rent etc and you will double the $$ invested on less than 5 years, plus the money you get renting them. That kind of inversion never go down. Keep doing that and in some years you will have a good secure income for the rest of your life, at least it's working for me in Spain (of course each country economy it's not the same, in Spain the building bussines has no stop, buy today and sell it for an extra 20% in a year).
Look for secure inversions, don't play with it on the stock market for example, mostly of ppl that get ruined at the stocks market is because they invest money from loans, then they need to recover it fast so they sell the stocks underpriced.

That's exactly what the banks do with your money, invest it, get a 20% profit at least and then pay you a 2%, don't be a fool, insted of banks playing with your money, play you with theirs.