Good point. Leasing is renting, so it is similar to renting an apartment or furniture or whatever else people can rent these days. To me, with limited understanding of leasing a vehicle, it seems that for a business, it might make sense since they would write off the cost. From what I have read, it doesn't make a good financial choice for private individuals. But for those who must make payments, if it is less expensive per month, then maybe that is better than not having a car.
I learned long ago to pay myself first, so I pay myself a "car payment" every month so that when it comes time to buy a car, I don't need to borrow. Also, I check to see how much I have then to spend on a car, and stay within that limit. Hence, I have never owned a new car. Fortunately, cars for me are simply a tool to get from point A to point B and back. If we take a long road trip, we rent a car rather than putting miles on our own vehicles. We don't often do that, so it works out fine for us. Everybody has to work out what works for them, and this is what works for us.
I have read a number of time in magazine articles about stress and insomnia, that it is money issues that cause these things for a great number of people. I could see that, especially when something big happens to the economy, or the individual layoff, and suddenly, the music stops. All that debt comes crashing down, rapidly eating up whatever cash and savings a person might have. I would not want to live like that, and we have consciously chosen not to.
Tony