When I was in my my twenties, a few months into my first full time career job, I felt like I could splurge a little to celebrate. The problem was my credit card was stuck at “college student” limits, basically useless, and my salary was still going toward the basics of setting up my independent life.
My attempt to raise my credit limit was rejected, my attempt at a personal loan was rejected. Maybe they would have anyway, maybe I just needed to wait more, but I regret answering “buy a nice stereo”. It does sound like the epitome of careless spending to buy electronic gadgets beyond your immediate means. Even back then, your answer mattered.
The reason I’m convinced it mattered was replaying my conversation with my credit union in my head years later: it surely seemed like she was politely trying to get me to give a different answer.