Walter Cavanagh's hobby is collecting active credit cards issued in his name. Cavanagh's collection consists entirely of cards that he could use to buy something. By the mid-1970s, when the media first got wind of him (and dubbed him "Mr Plastic Fantastic"), he had already acquired 788 cards, giving him available credit of $750,000. By 2016, in the most recent update about him that I could find, his collection was up to 1497 cards, giving him available credit of $1.7 million. However, he never taps into this credit. He uses only one card, and he always pays off the balance in full each month.
Underwhelming gifts
A reader writes: "Several years ago after six years at a radio station group, my leaving gift consisted of a song sung live by the creative department, mostly referring to my large breasts, and a $70 book voucher. Given that I was a reasonably popular employee, and that quite a few would have contributed as well as the employer, I was a bit underwhelmed. I kept the voucher until December, reasoning that it would go towards a book or two for the children's Christmas gifts. When I went to present the voucher, I found that it was $700, not $70. Oops. I bought beautiful books for all the family. They said they were the most beautiful books they had ever had."
