Yes, you can! Many people just simply aren't willing to go through the extra hassles of it. How many people do you know who put money aside from month to month saving up for their larger purchases, or who have a little lump of cash in the bank to draw from when their furnace breaks down in the winter? Where I live it's very rare, but that's what people need to do in order to not get sucked in. You are young, at 17 if you keep your wits, and it looks like you're starting well by thinking about these issues, you will avoid the traps your friends will fall into, and you will see the benefits in your bank accounts before too long at all. :thumbsup: