Have You Sworn Off Credit Cards?

[HRx]

Poll created as requested.

[TheBajan]

Poll created as requested.

Thank you!

[AngelinaCatHub]

We only use our Debit Card. We have a line of credit on it. We WILL NOT deviate from that card as it locks up when the money is gone. NO DEBT AGAIN for us. We are free and intend to stay that way. 'Hub

[helpmeout]

I did get one credit card with a $2K limit and 0% interest until October. But I don't charge anything until I have worked out how I am going to pay for what I charge in my budget. 99.9% of the time, I use my debit card.

[HHM]

To be honest, I use a points credit card for all day to day purchases.

But I never carry balance.

[Snax]

Ditto that HHM. We currently use a card with only a $750 limit that has a $30 annual fee and 19.99% interest rate, but after only 6 months of using it, we are over $50 ahead on cash-back bonuses. It has become the primary conduit for our money for any purchase more than $20 or so where we would have used a debit otherwise.

[StartinOver]

Been deep in debt on credit cards and worked our way out of it too many times, in the past. I know me all too well. I will never feel like I did for the last 6 years, before we finally caved in and went through Chapter 7 and foreclosure last year. Never. Ever. Again.

And the only way for me to accomplish that, is no more debt of any kind. No mortgage, no car loans, no employee purchase financing, no nothing. And above all, no stinking credit cards!

[memama]

My husband and I plan on moving to an all-cash system, at least as much as is practical. We'll still use a debit for online purchases (gluten-free food is MUCH cheaper on Amazon-my son has Celiac's disease), and we'll likely use automatic withdrawal for my student loan payments which will come due in December. Other than that, we're using Dave Ramsey's envelope system

[hhwwe2]

i wish

[DesdemonaB]

I use four cards - two are debt cards, one is still the pre-paid I need during the BK process and the other is my Perkstreet check - cash back debt card in one year I have managed to save 250 in cash back to be used as this year's Christmas budget. The pre-paid I used for child support deposit - I have an somewhat of a deadbeat ex - he remained unemployed for 27 months (living off his parents and his live in GF/maid) before he was ordered to pay support - now if he sees me in/with anything new he accuses me of spending the kids money on myself. The only thing going on the card is my CS so I can verify any charge in court.

My two credit cards are being used as 30-day cash - but during the 0% intro time frame I did run larger balances but made two payments a month, but now that I am unemployed I am afraid to do that so I charge what I can afford pay during the month only. Both cards are cash back but their cash back is very low due to non-use or small charges vs. large purchases.

I have a 2013 goal of purchasing a house - looks much later in 2013 due to the unemployment so I need the credit to build up my credit again.

But I pretty much use my Perkstreet account (cash) because that's how I had to live a year before the BK and if I don't have the $$ I don't get it, or I have to save to get it.

[GoingDown]

I do not have any credit cards at all, and I have no intention of ever applying for any credit cards, nor any loans of any kind ever again in the future.

I use cash, money orders, and things like Amazon and Walmart gift cards.

I pay my rent with cash (I get a receipt, of course), I pay my electric bill at S.R.P. in person with cash, and I pay the water bill in person downtown with cash. My cell phone is a pay as you go cell phone, so I just buy a Net10 card with cash and then input the little code number on the card to refill my cell phone. It costs about $15 per month. Not bad. It works everywhere that has cell phone towers.

I used to have a pre-paid debit card, a Walmart MoneyCard, but I cancelled it because I didn't like the $3 per month fee and the loading fee. I mainly used it for online purchases, but now, if I can't find something at Amazon or at Walmart online, then I simply don't make any online purchases. I simply buy an Amazon or Walmart gift card with cash at Safeway or Walmart, and then use it to make purchases online. There are no fees, and the balances never expire. And now Walmart offers a service where you can order something online, have it shipped to your local Walmart, without any card, and then go pick it up and pay for it with cash, and avoid the shipping charge altogether.

Now that all of my debts are beyond the SOL, I'm thinking about getting a free checking account at the Bank of Arizona. I just haven't bothered with it yet.

This cash only existence has saved me so much money and made my life so much simpler.

[DaisysMom]

I really want to. I love being cash only and using my debit card for gas and other conveniences. BUT......we have to travel at times and we are finding it more difficult to make hotel reservations plus I know it will be a hassle when we need to rent a car. They will want to see a credit card.

Does anyone know if a prepaid card will work as well as a regular card? As soon as I am discharged I am thinking about getting a pre-paid one if it will be accepted just like a regular one would. And how about the ones you see at check-out counters where you load them with $ (Wal-mart, etc. carries them)...Do they work like a regular card for renting cars etc?

I absolutely don't want to get back into the credit hamster wheel. Any advice would be appreciated.

DM

[GoingDown]

Unfortunately, no. Most car rental places won't rent you a car without a valid credit card with enough available credit to pay for the entire rental period. They can instantly tell the difference between a debit card and credit card, and generally won't accept a debit card even if you have plenty of money on it to pay the rental fees upfront and in advance. They use it as a method of screening people out with bad credit.

I have heard of a few car rental agencies which will accept debit cards, but there are very few of them.

As for renting motels, the cheaper ones will generally accept a debit card or even cash.

[Snax]

We have never had an issue with hotels accepting debit cards.

However, having the one credit card at our disposal literally saved our dog's life recently. We simply did not have the cash on hand at the moment she needed emergency surgery. Our limit is well within the bounds of our ability to pay it off every month, so having a zero balance and enough room available to cover that was priceless to us.

Credit is GOOD when used RESPONSIBLY!

[lillymarlene]

Of course my chapter 13 has forced me to swear off credit cards, at least for the next few years and in many ways I am enjoying the debt free lifestyle. I pay my utility bills in cash at my local Western Union Office; my mortgage and tax bills by money order. I have a checking account, but I hate waiting for checks I've written to clear the bank.

Sometimes though, I do miss having a credit card. For instance, my car needs repairs, my house could use some maitenance, I'd like a fancy new watch, and I'm in need of some dental work. Then I remember that's what got me in trouble in the first place. For over 20 years, I managed to spend about $3,000 more per year than I was taking in. So, in some ways I am grateful for this forced budgeting of chapter 13.