What's your way of paying?

oiprocs

Diamond Member
Jun 20, 2001
3,780
2
0
I use credit, just because it's the same as debit except it builds up your credit.

On a side note, do you only have to use a card once per month in order to "build" on it? When I look at credit reports they just list a check mark for a "good" month, so I suppose the amount you charge to it does not matter, just as long as you do charge at least once a month?

Btw, no option for checks, because these days they are used very rarely IMO in terms of daily purchases. Getting gas, groceries, online bill; all of these can be done without the use of checks. I only see it fit for paying someone back, or some place that only takes checks, or rent, etc.
 

Ns1

No Lifer
Jun 17, 2001
55,420
1,600
126
credit 99%

consumer protection, cash back, and usually faster than cash
 

E equals MC2

Banned
Apr 16, 2006
2,676
1
0
Credit all the way. As long as you pay off every month, why not take advantage of FREE fraud protection, FREE cashback, FREE purchase documentation and so on?

If I find myself having excess cash ($50+), I even deposit it to my bank so that money is ultimately spent earning above things via CC.

[edit]
Oh yea, recently I had a very VERY bad experience at a fancy restaurant where I took my gf to. I spent about $170 and the whole night was terrible... bad waiting, horrible food, they even forgot my valet which we had to wait additional 40 mins for just to leave the damn nightmare restaurant.

So next day I called up Chase, the CC I used for the restaurant, and complained. They said they'll look into this and investigated with the chef a week later. Chase's finding was that the restaurant has agreed to take the charge off and Chase did just exactly that.

Had I paid using debit or cash that night, above would not have occurred or I would've had to go through many hoops myself wasting my time.
 

kranky

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
21,019
156
106
Credit card with cashback for most things. Cash at locally-owned businesses if it's not large, particularly at restaurants. Never will use debit.
 

Fenixgoon

Lifer
Jun 30, 2003
33,286
12,849
136
credit/debit. generally i use my check card which functions as both, but for very large purchases i always use credit.
 

akshatp

Diamond Member
Oct 15, 1999
8,349
0
76
Credit, credit, credit.

And then pay off at the end of each month so dont pay any interest.
 

Mxylplyx

Diamond Member
Mar 21, 2007
4,197
101
106
Credit for everything possible. AMEX just credited my cash back for the year. $630 of free money as far as I'm concerned.
 

n7

Elite Member
Jan 4, 2004
21,281
4
81
All three.

Credit card for most, due to cash back.
Debit for where i can't use CC.
Cash for the club or when plastic doesn't make any sense (really small stuff, etc.)
 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
51,540
7,233
136
Credit in person

Paypal or Paypal Virtual Card online

Then pay twice monthly online. Bank account = Credit Card payments and Paypal transfers. Nice and clean. Had my debit card number stolen twice, learned my lesson!
 

MotionMan

Lifer
Jan 11, 2006
17,124
12
81
-Credit for most things.
-Cash for lunches and candy ;) .
-Never use debit, even though I have one.
-I pay bills online through my bank (about 50% of those are electronic checks and 50% they send an actual check to the payee).

MotionMan
 

ponyo

Lifer
Feb 14, 2002
19,688
2,811
126
Originally posted by: kranky
Credit card with cashback for most things. Cash at locally-owned businesses if it's not large, particularly at restaurants. Never will use debit.

same.
 

SmoochyTX

Lifer
Apr 19, 2003
13,615
0
0
I pay for almost everything with my debit card. I write one check a month and that's for my rent.

For those extolling the virtue of credit cards, I could care less about the perks. I've never had a problem paying for anything with my debit card (online or not). I have one credit card for emergency purposes but I haven't put anything on it in almost forever. I also don't do auto bill-paying through my bank - I'm not too lazy to login to the 6 sites or so each month and pay them myself with my DEBIT card.
 

homercles337

Diamond Member
Dec 29, 2004
6,340
3
71
I have way too much money to answer this question. I am ATOT and pay off ALL my debt EVERY month.
 

kranky

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
21,019
156
106
Originally posted by: oiprocs
So most everyone only uses a debit when they're at the bank?

I don't. My ATM card is only an ATM card, not a debit card that also works in the ATM. I don't want a debit card at all.
 

pontifex

Lifer
Dec 5, 2000
43,804
46
91
didn't we just have this thread a few weeks ago? i'm sure its come up even bfore that as well.

i used to use cash as much as possbile witha credit card here and there. now I tend to use my debit card more often instead of cash.