Say you forgot one ingredient for dinner at the store. The head of parsley you’re missing costs $3.02—how will you pay for it? What about your trip to Costco? Or a trip to the store to buy a few new T-shirts?
How do you most often pay for retail purchases? Will you swipe your credit card? Debit card? Pay for it in cash? Gasp… a check? (Are those things still around?)
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We use our credit union card for 99.99% of all purchases. Then we pay it off twice each month so we don’t pay any monthly interest. And they send us a small percentage each year. So they essentially pay us to use their credit card.
Yeah, us too. I’m much better off with no cash in my pocket…
Payment depends on the amount of the purchase and what we are buying. If it’s consumable items under $30-40, we normally pay cash. Stopping for breakfast or lunch, almost always cash.
I only carry a $2.00 Bill in my Wallet, it was a birthday gift from one of my long departed favorite Aunts when I was a pre-teen back in the early 60s.
Typically I use a debit card so no bill when I get home. Unless they use the 3 or 4 percent additional charge . Since they have already inflated the original charge. Unless it’s a must have item i go elsewhere or paycash.
Cash back credit card. EVERYTHING! A quite sizable check back at end of the year. Paid off every month. No fees and no interest. Only thing I still write a check for is local realestate taxes as they have a credit card surcharge.
Same here. 2 cards only, both cash back. 1 build up to $100 and use to pay down a payment, the other I use to help pay for amazon purchases.
The “cash back” credit cards are charging the merchant for your “cash back.” We have noticed many more merchants are charging an up-fee for the use of a credit card. hey are not stupid.
Even have run into discount for cash. Cash is King.
forgot to add, gasoline is the only product that is consistently on a credit card, paid off at the end of each billing cycle.
Had that situation this weekend, went to a family reunion and the motel we stayed in offered a 4% discount for cash, had I known this when I made the reservation I would have taken cash to pay. Back home Circle K gas stations offer 10 cents/gal off for cash, quite a saving if you have a large tank like some trucks.
Many credit cards offer 3-5% back on gas purchases, at current prices that’s 15-25c a gallon…
Debit card use as Credit Card
I have 2 $20 bills in my wallet. They’ve been in there a long time, maybe pre-pandemic. I use credit cards and a debit card for all purchases. Although I did use two quarters for parking earlier this year. I pay off my cards-in full-every month.
I think it is not wise for the public, as a whole, to grow complacent in the use of cards instead of cash for even the smallest of purchases. If all one carries are cards, then they are left without resource in a blackout or some other form of calamity.
agree. but just because we, or others, always use credit cards does not mean we don’t carry cash. we do. my barber only takes cash and we always tip in cash.
If one is capable of paying off credit card charges in full each month, a mileage credit card is is very beneficial. We put almost all charges on the card. We fly a lot on miles. In a couple of months we will be flying to London. Our cost? $75 annual card fee.
Using debit cards comes with much higher risk. If your debit card info is stolen the scum crook can empty your bank account. Yes…you can work with the bank to get it restored, but it may take a little time, which would be a big pain with a zero balance and bills continuing to arrive or auto-pay bills being rejected.
A credit card does not have that risk.
Strictly CC,our points never expire,we pay it off each month,we have over 400,000 points.
No annual fee and a great interest rate.
The thing I pay the most cash for is campgrounds, many State and Federal campgrounds only take cash, even some USFS sites are starting to say ‘no checks’.
Visa Debit through the credit union no fees unless used at a bank. Rewards cards through gas stations “members pay”debit card attached. A whole separate acct with limited finds I put in. Credits hardly used. Those are for OMG it cost what repairs.
Do they still have cash???
BTW, we do not carry a balance month to month. Always gets paid via on line banking at least two times a month, (0% interest). We do research camp grounds and other locations/attractions to see if they take cards, if not, we do have a small amount of cash. Also Wells Fargo ATM debit card with no fee for cash.
credit card is used 99.99% of the time. and we haven’t carried a balance dueon our cards since 1972. having zero debt is wonderful.
Debit card for most purchases but a credit card for larger ones. It can be a big help if there”s an issue with that purchase.
Use a credit card tied to Apple Pay. Pay off each month.
As of today, the 3rd time my debit card has had to be canceled for fraudulent use, I guess I’ll be using credit cards and paying them off with my bank account on the card’s payment due date! I don’t know how this happens – I have my card, and my wallet is (whatever makes it safe) from outside stealing. This time it was Walmart where all the fraudulent charges were made. I use Walmart for groceries because they deliver (I’ve had great experience with this until now). Guess you just can’t trust sometimes!
Credit card that pays back (paid off every month)…had debit card stolen three times in the last couple of years so only use it to withdraw cash that I use for small purchases and gas unless I’m on the road.
The smaller purchases we use cash. Twenty to fifty it Debit. Over that it is cash back credit card
I try to use cash if doing business at a small business operation. Some restaurants have started charging more for using a credit card. But CC is our go to choice for the majority of our spending opportunities