Religion and Ethics and Health BBS

Religion and Ethics and Health BBS
[ Religion and Ethics and Health BBS ]

Do you ever use credit cards? How much debt do you have?

Posted by Ken C on August 26, 2025, 6:49 am

Too many Americans have too much debt. Student loans, home loans, car loans, credit cards. Our whole country has a National Debt.

Dave Ramsey helps people get out of debt. He gives some good advice, but he seems like an anti-credit extremist. Credit cards and loans can be beneficial when people are careful.

Some people get business loans to buy stuff that they can use to earn money.

Some people pay off their credit cards every month and have no debt.

I almost always use a credit card, but I pay the full balance every month. I like how I can review my credit card statement every month to see what I spent money on.

I purchased a car 2 years ago. Instead of getting a loan, I used some of the money I was saving for retirement.

About 8 years ago I had some problems and did get into credit card debt for about a year. It felt very good to finally pay it off.

Never had one,

Posted by Christopher Blackwell on September 1, 2025, 5:27 pm, in reply to "Do you ever use credit cards? How much debt do you have?"

Anything that encourages you to spend money that you don't have is dangerous to budgeting. Interest means paying more for the same thing. I would just do without, less to worry about.

Addendum to my response downthread:

Posted by 7:77 on August 29, 2025, 3:05 pm, in reply to "Do you ever use credit cards? How much debt do you have?"

I use credit cards almost solely for online purchases (Amazon, etc.), unless I'm over in the States. In Japan, small purchases are seldom made by CC, even at places like convenience markets: people use either cash or phone apps (which might be linked to a card, but also often directly to a bank account). The phone app will often be linked to a points program as well, and even cash purchases can be points-paying. At 7-11, where cash purchase are made via a machine, you just scan in your points code before putting in the cash. At the other "konbini," you scan, then hand the clerk the cash.

Smaller shops, mom-and-pop food places, and that sort of business are often cash only. Those places are starting to add phone pay options, but traditional credit cards just aren't used as often in Japan, and those little shops don't seem inclined to add them.

Posted by observer on August 27, 2025, 3:50 pm, in reply to "Do you ever use credit cards? How much debt do you have?"

but I do use a debit card. We have no debt. No loans, no mortgage, no car payments. But, it wasn’t always so. We once needed the advantages of credit. The secret was living within our means. I wonder how young people now are going to be able to own homes and cars as well as all the technology now needed.

Using debit cards is stupid.

Posted by KR on August 27, 2025, 6:30 pm, in reply to "No"

If you want to dispute a charge, they already have your money. Using a credit card protects you in case of fraud.

You must be one of those morons that listen to the dumb bible thumper, Dave Ramsey (complete idiot).

Wrong AGAIN.

Posted by observer on August 29, 2025, 11:11 am, in reply to "Using debit cards is stupid."

I never heard of Dave Ramsey!

I also find it difficult to accept the fear-filled arguments of those who basically object to the logic of paying cash when shopping, because that’s basically what using a Debit card amounts to.

The fact that one uses a Debit card, and never a credit card, doesn’t mean that’s the only way to pay when shopping.

This one day, choose not to be president of DOOFUS, INC.

I just have a better understanding of how to handle finances.

Posted by KR on August 29, 2025, 2:50 pm, in reply to "Wrong AGAIN."

It is okay…. not everyone can be as smart as me:

Correct!!!!

Posted by DFM on August 28, 2025, 5:27 pm, in reply to "Using debit cards is stupid."

I never use my debit card.. . .always the credit card.

Posted by Dancing Digits on August 28, 2025, 7:23 am, in reply to "Using debit cards is stupid."

I even stopped writing checks as we had a problem with thieves robbing drop boxes and stealing checks.

I get reward points with my credit card . . . it turns into cash. Its not a lot but I still make out because I pay off the balance on the card every month.

i have one card that's both kinda

Posted by trish on August 29, 2025, 3:06 pm, in reply to "I never use my debit card.. . .always the credit card."

I have a margin, so I can use it to "borrow" - but it runs through my central account

if fraud is involved, they handle it

Actually, I had forgotten

Posted by observer on August 31, 2025, 8:02 pm, in reply to "i have one card that's both kinda"

but my card is dual use too. Handy if needed.

Posted by observer on August 27, 2025, 9:58 pm, in reply to "Using debit cards is stupid."

Intelligent shoppers don’t have that problem.

Amen!

Posted by Deanna on August 29, 2025, 8:29 am, in reply to "No"

WRONG

Posted by KR on August 29, 2025, 8:57 am, in reply to "Amen!"

The single safest way to make a purchase is using a contactless transaction with a credit card via Apple Pay (or equivalent).

Correct

Posted by Skye on August 29, 2025, 1:19 pm, in reply to "WRONG"

Should be common sense that it’s much safer and more secure than carrying cash or using a debit card, but some people do not seem to learn, especially if they feel they have to be ‘right’ all the time. smh

Yes, but....

Posted by Skye on August 27, 2025, 12:53 pm, in reply to "Do you ever use credit cards? How much debt do you have?"

We don't carry a balance, and we have no debt.

CCs are good for auto payments on certain bills or payments, and for getting points or flyer miles, however... we are finding that some gas stations and businesses will charge extra if you use a CC, especially if it is a big ticket item. You have to watch.

When I used to buy gas, I used a debit card.

Posted by Ken C on August 27, 2025, 1:15 pm, in reply to "Yes, but...."

Never use a debit card.

Posted by KR on August 27, 2025, 6:43 pm, in reply to "When I used to buy gas, I used a debit card."

Three years ago, when I had a gas powered car, my favorite gas station wouldn't take credit cards.

Posted by Ken C on August 27, 2025, 10:26 pm, in reply to "Never use a debit card."

Using a debt card there was easier than paying cash or going to another station.

Other people may have other good reasons for using a debt card.

People are not stupid just because their financial situation is different from yours.

I will not give my business to anyplace that does not take credit cards.

Posted by KR on August 28, 2025, 8:42 am, in reply to "Three years ago, when I had a gas powered car, my favorite gas station wouldn't take credit cards. "

Same for cash, for me.

Posted by GOG on August 28, 2025, 3:18 pm, in reply to "I will not give my business to anyplace that does not take credit cards."

We only use a debit card when we are traveling overseas….

Posted by Skye on August 27, 2025, 8:06 pm, in reply to "Never use a debit card."

if we need cash. There is little to no protection when you use a debit card.

At times we have insisted on using the CC and negotiated with them to exempt the extra fee as a condition on the sale, simply for the protection.

Yes, there's little to no protection

Posted by Dancing Digits on August 29, 2025, 2:15 pm, in reply to "We only use a debit card when we are traveling overseas…."

with a debit card. As pointed out elsewhere in this thread, they have your money. It can be difficult to reverse a purchase and get your money back. Often times, the argument remains between you and the vendor or worse, trying to track down the thief. Banks are not inclined to cover a fraudulent or erroneous charge against your account.

My credit card has fraud protection. I am not responsible for any charges I did not authorize. When I make a purchase, I always wait till the purchase hits my account, verify that its accurate, and then and only then pay the charge off. Anything questionable I call my credit card company and challenge the charge as I have had to do more than once in the past. It works well.

I was in the UK recently. At one point I realized I hadn’t even touched my wallet for days.

Posted by KR on August 29, 2025, 1:29 pm, in reply to "We only use a debit card when we are traveling overseas…."

Everything is contactless, even more than here. To take trains I just scanned my Apple watch in and out. Every shop, including street vendors had contactless scanners.

Before I retired, I got rid of all debt.

Posted by GOG on August 27, 2025, 12:04 pm, in reply to "Do you ever use credit cards? How much debt do you have?"

My assets are mine.

Credit cards are nothing but

Posted by Dancing Digits on August 26, 2025, 9:48 am, in reply to "Do you ever use credit cards? How much debt do you have?"

high interest bank loans that drag you down . . . kinda like wearing cement shoes while trying to swim in a lake.

Unfortunately, some people are in the financial position where they must use the cards in order to purchase necessities. Wages are still stagnant and the cost of health care is completely insane. Prices are going up all over. (Regular gas here was 3.05 a gallon. It's now 3.15)

And of course, there are those who practice buy now and let the future worry about the bills later.

Our debt is pretty minimal - low principle owed on the house, car loan will be finished this year (we have made huge payments on it thus reducing a 5 year loan into a 1 year), and the credit card balance (just have onecredit card) will be gone soon too.

Banks want people in debt. Of course, they want people to pay on time but debt is how banks make their money. Some people have what I call revolving debt - they pay off one thing only to go into debt on another. Sometimes its out of need, and sometimes its due to foolish spending habits.

yes

Posted by trish on August 26, 2025, 9:00 am, in reply to "Do you ever use credit cards? How much debt do you have?"

some debt. The medical side of things has hit my bottom line pretty hard. I try to pay more than the balance every month. Right now I am tackling the card with the most interest and then will move on to anything else. All told about 8,000 but that's dependent on being able to pay energy bills which just doubled.

All the time. No debt.

Posted by Mugwump on August 26, 2025, 7:50 am, in reply to "Do you ever use credit cards? How much debt do you have?"

Pay in full every month. Keeps life simple and offers some degree of record-keeping.

Yes. Zero.

Posted by 7:77 on August 26, 2025, 7:12 am, in reply to "Do you ever use credit cards? How much debt do you have?"

I pay them off every month.

I use a credit card for every purchase in order to get the points.

Posted by KR on August 26, 2025, 6:52 am, in reply to "Do you ever use credit cards? How much debt do you have?"

I have not paid a penny in credit card interest in ivermectin 20 years.

I am 100% debt free.

Hahaha:-)))). Ivermectin? Horse paste…. you have Covid?

Posted by GOG on August 27, 2025, 12:09 pm, in reply to "I use a credit card for every purchase in order to get the points."

Yeah. Phone auto correct:

Posted by KR on August 27, 2025, 2:14 pm, in reply to "Hahaha:-)))). Ivermectin? Horse paste…. you have Covid?"

Good. I get cashback.

Posted by Ken C on August 26, 2025, 7:02 am, in reply to "I use a credit card for every purchase in order to get the points."

I usually get 2% cash back. It's not very much, but it feels good to get that extra money.

Think of it as 2% interest. Not much.

Posted by GOG on August 27, 2025, 12:07 pm, in reply to "Good. I get cashback. "

I recall as a child receiving 3% on my savings account. Hardly get 4% on a money market. Wonder whose getting 99% of the cream?

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