On Wed, 15 Jul 2009 10:20:53 -0700 (PDT), Cindy Hamilton
wrote:

Typically, it's the same thing. Not so much lately, but it's always
been
the case that banks only lend money to people who have money.

I have a mortgage. It is the same money (and more) out of my own
pocket.
We were quite careful each time we bought a house. (If only everyone
were.)

Not the same thing at all. Let's take a car example to make the
point. If you were paying cash for a car, would you pay $1000 for a
great stereo or would you say no way, the crummy am/fm will do just
fine? When people can look at a feature as x dollars per month they
get stupid.