What's your way of paying?

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pontifex

Lifer
Dec 5, 2000
43,804
46
91
Originally posted by: E equals MC2
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.

i hope you don't plan on going back there
 

kranky

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
21,019
156
106
Originally posted by: E equals MC2
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.

I'll suggest that in the future, if you have a bad experience at a restaurant, you talk to the manager of the restaurant while you're there. Chances are you would get your meal free plus an invitation to return for another complimentary meal. Worst that can happen is the manager ignores you, and you still have the credit card option to fall back on.
 

rh71

No Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
52,844
1,049
126
I use my credit card even for drive-thru fast food these days. Don't have to go to the ATM as often and 1% back > 0%.
 

TheKub

Golden Member
Oct 2, 2001
1,756
1
0
Originally posted by: SmoochyTX
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).

Great for you! My house has never burned down but I have insurance anyway.
 

adairusmc

Diamond Member
Jul 24, 2006
7,095
78
91
Cash for pretty much everything, other than ordering stuff online (debit).

Under no circumstances will I ever use a personal check for anything.
 

Modelworks

Lifer
Feb 22, 2007
16,240
7
76
debit.
If I don't have the cash in the account, it doesn't get bought.
credit=evil, evil I tell you !
 
May 31, 2001
15,326
2
0
I actually used cash last night. Apparently it had been so long since the checker had dealt with it, he forgot the change dispenser at the check stand was broken and would not dispense the change automatically at the end of the transaction.
 

PottedMeat

Lifer
Apr 17, 2002
12,363
475
126
Originally posted by: Ns1
credit 99%

consumer protection, cash back, and usually faster than cash

Credit. Or Cash.

Track all your purchases, and pay them all off at the end of the month. The money isn't gone until you send the check.

I still don't understand the use of debit cards. Instant $ out of your account. No self control?

 

KeithTalent

Elite Member | Administrator | No Lifer
Administrator
Nov 30, 2005
50,231
118
116
Credit for about 90% because I get miles.

KT
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
100,238
17,895
126
I pay with my cc that gets me back 1% that I can spend at the supermarket.
 

child of wonder

Diamond Member
Aug 31, 2006
8,307
176
106
My wife and I used to pay for everything with debit or cash. Now we have a hotel rewards card and a high interest online savings account.

We buy everything on the credit card and earn a free hotel stay about every other month and pay the balance off in full. The money to pay the card sits in a savings account until the date is due, then gets transfered out for payment on the card.

We end up earning about 6 free hotel stays plus ~$150 in interest annually when we used to get nothing with the debit card.
 

Mxylplyx

Diamond Member
Mar 21, 2007
4,197
101
106
Originally posted by: Modelworks
debit.
If I don't have the cash in the account, it doesn't get bought.
credit=evil, evil I tell you !

Credit is evil only if you are stupid enough to carry a balance. My cash sits in an account collecting interest, while my cc balance floats for a month with no interest.
 

5to1baby1in5

Golden Member
Apr 27, 2001
1,250
109
106
Electronic Funds Transfer (Bill Pay) for all bills.

Cash for all other except gasoline (Debit).

My credit is already good.
 

sohcrates

Diamond Member
Sep 19, 2000
7,949
0
0
we like to put everything on credit card for expense tracking purposes (and pay it off of course). i agree with the others. keep liquid cash in high interest MMA until it's needed to pay off the floating credit card.

i like getting a yearly credit card statement with fancy pie charts that show me my spending :)
 

Gooberlx2

Lifer
May 4, 2001
15,381
6
91
I use my debit card for just about everything...I probably should use my CC for the rewards.
 

xeemzor

Platinum Member
Mar 27, 2005
2,599
1
71
Credit for cash back and perks. I haven't written a check in my life and the only time I use my debit card is to withdraw cash. Never had to pay a cent on CC interest in the 3.5 years I have had a card and have gotten about $1k in rewards. My financial model of "don't buy shit you can't afford" has work tremendously well.