American humorist Robert Orben wrote a joke about credit in his book, 2500 Jokes to Start ‘Em Laughing (1979):
   
“Life was a lot simpler when what was honored was Father and Mother rather than all major credit cards.”
 
     
Wikipedia: Robert Orben
Robert Orben (born March 4, 1927) is an American professional comedy writer, although he also worked as a magician. He has written multiple books on comedy, mostly collections of gags and “one-liners” originally written for his newsletter, Orben’s Current Comedy, and has also written books for magicians. Later, Orben moved into politics, and in 1973 he became head speechwriter to Vice President Gerald R. Ford.
     
Google Books
2500 Jokes to Start ‘Em Laughing
By Robert Orben
Garden City, NY: Doubleday and Company
1979
Pg. 55:
CREDIT
Life was a lot simpler when what was honored was Father and Mother rather than all major credit cards.
 
17 March 1980, The Wall Street Journal (New York, NY), “Manager’s Journal: Profiting From Humor” by Ronald G. Shafer, pg. 20, col. 3:
Humor can “ease the tension and lead into a subject” in a relaxing way, he (Robert Orben—ed.) explains. For instance, a speaker at a meeting on problems with consumer credit might begin: “Life was a lot simpler when what we honored was father and mother rather than all major credit cards.”
   
6 June 1981, The Berkshire Eagle (Pittsfield, MA), pg. 18, col. 2:
Life was a lot simpler when what we honored was father and mother rather than all major credit cards.
—The Wall Street Journal
   
Google Books
The “Official” Dad Book:
The Who, What, When, Where, Why, and how of Being a Dad
By Martha Bolton
West Monroe, LA: Howard Publishing Company
2004
Pg. 66:
Life was a lot simpler when what we honored was father and mother rather than all major credit cards .
Robert Orben
       
Google Books
The Snark Handbook: Parenting Edition:
Morning Sickness, Potty Training, Rebellious Teens, and Other Joys
By Lawrence Dorfman
New York, NY: SKyhorse Publishing
2013
Pg. ?:
Life was a lot when what we honored was Father and Mother rather than all major credit cards.
—ROBERT ORBEN
 
Google Books
Financial Algebra:
Advanced Algebra with Financial Applications
By Robert Gerver and Richard J. Sgroi
Mason, OH: South Western Cengage Learning
2014
Pg. 193:
Life was a lot simpler when what we honored was father and mother rather than all major credit cards.
Robert Orben, American Comedy Writer
 
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Life was a lot simpler when what we honored was father and mother rather than all major credit cards.
-Robert Orben
9:59 PM - 28 Mar 2019