Many treat credit cards as their liquid emergency fund.

Unexpected expense? Dig yourself deeper and push your credit closer to its limit.

Personally I think that is the intention of credit cards -- emergency liquidity -- and that nobody should carry credit card debt to the next month.

This is absolutely a valid use for credit cards if you're careful and disciplined, but it can only stretch you for a maximum of one month before you've got to start making payments. What about when you're out of a job for six months? You've gotta have an emergency fund.

I agree with you, but, then again, saving money "under the mattress" or a high saving rate is usually frowned upon in the economic press.