I like Rob West (Faith & Finance).

I use a credit card for gas and online purchases. Otherwise I use cash or check. I look for cash discounts if I can find them.

Never paid finance charges on a credit card. I can see that happening for some people such as health emergencies or car repairs, but those need to be paid off as soon as possible.

I also believe that a person should get out of debt, with the possible exception of a house, before they get started savings on retirement. The money you save on interest usually far exceeds what you get on investments. And it is a guaranteed return. Another exception would be a 401K with an employer match. In that case, take the money.

Before I started farming on my own I was an agricultural lender. Got to see first hand what happens when people get into excessive debt. It isn't pretty.