What form of payment do you use for everyday things?

[lemondog]

We use cash for everything. I take out my cash each month, and once it's gone, it's gone. Keeps me from overspending, because I am dangerous with a credit card.

I do use the debit card to put gas in the car, though.

 

[Charade]

I noticed the Google ads at the top of the page are for credit cards/services!

 

[MushyMushy]

I don't see where using a debit/check card is all that fast.

Usually it's more like:

English or espanol? *click*

Was your cashier friendly today -- yes/no? (or some variation)

Please swipe your card.

Enter Pin number (if you want to use credit, you go through some minor hassle)

Do you want cash back? None/$20/$30/other

Is this amount correct? yes/no

I've never seen where writing a check is any slower. The rare times I decide to write a check, I have it signed when I get to the cashier, hand it to her, she runs it through the machine, shows it to me, and I'm on my way.

 

[JunieJay]

We also use our CC for everything we can possibly charge. We have several rewards cards that have paid off in free airfare and hotel stays.

 

[Barb D]

I have to use checks for a few bills and church donations. Most bills are online (from my checking account). I use the credit card in restaurants where they take it away out of sight, and if I'm buying on the internet. Otherwise it's all debit card.

 

[freckles and boo]

ugg. I hate keeping track of points and rewards and all the loopholes and restrictions that go along with them. We use the debit card for everyday shopping, gas, etc. I use a credit card for online shopping, travel, etc. and pay the cards off every billing cycle. I use cash when I am with my children because I am desperately trying to teach them about money (and yet, they just don't care about money!!!). I rarely write checks anymore.

 

[Luv'sTink]

Credit Card, for rewards. Paid every month.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

I don't see where using a debit/check card is all that fast.

Usually it's more like:

English or espanol? *click*

Was your cashier friendly today -- yes/no? (or some variation)

Please swipe your card.

Enter Pin number (if you want to use credit, you go through some minor hassle)

Do you want cash back? None/$20/$30/other

Is this amount correct? yes/no

I've never seen where writing a check is any slower. The rare times I decide to write a check, I have it signed when I get to the cashier, hand it to her, she runs it through the machine, shows it to me, and I'm on my way.

I never get asked so many questions swiping my cc. It's just:

"Debit or credit?
Amount OK?
Sign."

Except at the grocery store, where first I punch in my phone number so it recognizes my club card.

But even if it were a long drawn out process, I can get it done while the checker is scanning my items. By the time she's done, my card is back in my wallet, my wallet is back in my purse and all I have to do is touch "OK" for the amount and maybe sign.

It's faster for me, but it can be slow to be behind someone who doesn't think to start the process until after the checker is done scanning. Like being behind the person who doesn't have his check ready.

Guess it's a personal preference, but we don't use our cc because it's faster, we use it for the miles. We always pay off the balance every month, so money-wise, there's no real difference to us in using a cc versus a check or debit card.

 

[paintnolish]

Debit! I get annoyed when I end up behind someone writing a check. That being said, dbf is a check writer. get with the times, man!

 

[SeeDisney]

I use every single item imaginable on our credit card to rack up our disney dollars for our trip next year.

 

[Rafiki Rafiki Rafiki]

I use American Express. DH's company automatically gives them a platinum-level Hilton Honors membership...which is about 4 times the points of a regular Hilton Honors membership. The company gives him the points for his hotel stays, and so with that and our regular monthly purchases, we get at least one or two nights in a Hilton every month.

 

[Hedy]

Credit for everything, except the bills (student and car loan) that won't let me.

 

[Charade]

Whatever happened to bartering??

Like three chickens for a bushel of lettuce?

 

[OK!]

I almost always use my debit card & hardly ever have cash on me, which unfortunately means I have to feel like a bit of a fool on occasion when I end up charging $1.39 for a soda at the gas station.

 

[CEDmom]

I charge every single thing I possibly can on our AAdvantage MasterCard in order to rack up the airline miles. Our family of 5 flew to Hawaii and in between 3 islands for free just with miles from everyday purchases. We do pay the card off every single month though, we never carry a balance.

Between charging everything possible and paying bills online, we rarely write a check anymore.

I'm the same way. We spent a week at the Swan last year using Starwood points. We'll be going back for 4 nights in Dec using points again .

 

[Chicago526]

Almost everything goes on our United Airlines visa card, which we pay off at the end of the month, so we don't pay interest. We earn 1 mile for every $1 we spend, plus we get bonus miles during promotions. We've earned lots of free tickets and 1st class upgrades that way! Just this year, it saved us over $700 when DH had to fly home on short notice when his grandmother was ill.

I do have a debit card, but that just so I can get cash out each week, $20 for each of us, that's for little purchases that are just too small to bother with the credit card. I rarely use it for purchases anymore, since I'd rather earn the miles.

 

[MushyMushy]

I never get asked so many questions swiping my cc. It's just:

"Debit or credit?
Amount OK?
Sign."

Except at the grocery store, where first I punch in my phone number so it recognizes my club card.

But even if it were a long drawn out process, I can get it done while the checker is scanning my items. By the time she's done, my card is back in my wallet, my wallet is back in my purse and all I have to do is touch "OK" for the amount and maybe sign.

It's faster for me, but it can be slow to be behind someone who doesn't think to start the process until after the checker is done scanning. Like being behind the person who doesn't have his check ready.

Guess it's a personal preference, but we don't use our cc because it's faster, we use it for the miles. We always pay off the balance every month, so money-wise, there's no real difference to us in using a cc versus a check or debit card.

There are a few stores where you can't swipe your card until the cashier presses a button, for whatever reason (off the top of my head, I'd say Rite Aid and one of my smaller local grocery stores does this).

The whole questioning thing is on the Walmart machine -- doesn't yours do that? It really annoys me! "Did your cashier greet you?" "Did your cashier smile?" "Was your cashier friendly?" "Did you find everything you need?" AHHH! Just leave me alone to pay!

Whatever happened to bartering??

Like three chickens for a bushel of lettuce?

I was just recently thinking about a former veterinarian who took barter to treat animals for people who couldn't afford care. I really miss that guy!

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

I use my debit card for almost everything.

 

[kinntj]

We pay with CC for nearly everything for our rewards. We need to get an awards card for hotels to help with the vacations we have planned for the next 10 years.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

There are a few stores where you can't swipe your card until the cashier presses a button, for whatever reason (off the top of my head, I'd say Rite Aid and one of my smaller local grocery stores does this).

The whole questioning thing is on the Walmart machine -- doesn't yours do that? It really annoys me! "Did your cashier greet you?" "Did your cashier smile?" "Was your cashier friendly?" "Did you find everything you need?" AHHH! Just leave me alone to pay!

Aha!! That's it! There aren't a lot of Rite Aids around here, I usually go to Walgreen's (there's one on every corner). I love it there, they don't even make you sign for anything under $25.

I never shop at Walmart, either. The one by me is annoying enough already, and if I went in there and had to answer all those questions to pay with a credit card, it'd just be one more reason for me to avoid the place!