Studies have shown that you spend more money when you use credit cards verses cash.

Anonymous wrote:The part I don't get about having only debit cards is that if your card or card number gets stolen, that money will come straight out of your cash. Whereas if your credit card gets stolen, it's more of a paper loss because it doesn't affect your available cash and you can usually get the disputed charges provisionally credited back to you immediately.

Check out VISA website for info regarding their guarantee on their checkcards.

I have unfortuantely experienced this and the money was immediately credited back to my checking account.

Because you can often get decent discounts using store cards. I particularly use them for work clothes such as suits.

I have 2 credit cards, 1 Visa and 1 Master Card. Last time I check all of the stores take them. Why would I want a pocket full of store cards?

I am a credit card gamer. I typically have 6 to 8 cards at a given time. I will cycle on the same day every year and get new cards / new points. My credit score is 790. For me, it works great. Its a bit of work, but I travel first class and never pay for hotel rooms. Last year I used my british airways avois points - for which I paid a total of $90 - to fly two people to South America in first class for free. I also burned a bunch of Hilton points - also largely free - to get approximately $7000 worth of hotel rooms for free. I also converted a $60 card fee into $1400 worth of vouchers at an Hyatt which I sold on ebay for $1200 in cash. Not bad for a $60 investment.

Just 2, everything possible goes on Amex
Visa, for those who don't take Amex, always paid off, never carry a balance

Never had a debit card, please see 16:09's excellent post about debit cards

Lots of money for retirement and paid off mortgage last week after only 7 years.

Five, but two of them are in my safe for emergency use only. Of the other two, one is a joint card, one is my personal card, the other is a store card that I only use if I have a coupon that requires me to use it. We pay them all off every month.

The part I don't get about having only debit cards is that if your card or card number gets stolen, that money will come straight out of your cash. Whereas if your credit card gets stolen, it's more of a paper loss because it doesn't affect your available cash and you can usually get the disputed charges provisionally credited back to you immediately.

I get credit cards for the miles/rewards/discounts all the time. Right now, I have 8 credit cards and two store cards. The store cards are purely for the discounts and at stores that I shop at ALOT. If you pay on time and pay in full, you can really rack up the cash rewards or travel points. In 2012, we made nearly $1000 cash back. I'm now more focused on miles/travel rewards and currently have enough to plan a couple of big trips in the next two years. My credit score is about 780 - it could be higher, but since I'm won't be in the market for any big loans anytime soon, I'm not too worried about the small hit it has taken to get these various benefits.

I have two credit cards. Both VISA. The one I actually use because it has super low APR and a good rewards program, and the one I keep because I've had it forever and it's handy to have a second card when the first one gets compromised. (which happened 3 (!) times last year.) I have a pretty big credit limit (not by choice) and a pretty small balance and my credit score was 800+ when I refi'd in March.

Zero. I also use my Visa debit card for everything. I have no issues renting a car.

I have two Amex (business and personal) and one Chase. Combined credit limit of $60k, which is completely ridiculous when you think that my income is only $80k. Still, I never carry a balance and spend about $2k per month (all household spending). We do well with frequent flyer miles. My credit score is 820+.

What do those of you with debit/bank cards only do when you travel or rent a car? Debit is generally not accepted.

store cards (zero balance on all, but got for various promotional reasons):

apple
llbean
banana
amazon

other
1 visa for miles
1 MC - kind of high balance trying to pay off

I'm thinking of charging all monthly expenses to the miles visa, but haven't quite gotten there yet. Six credit cards might be ridiculous, but I think my combined credit limit is $30,000, which i would never even come come close to reaching which helps my credit score.

Three bank cards (two in both our names, one just in mine) and one store card, which we only got because of the discounts. Never carry a balance on any of them, and we use the "main" card for everything 99% of the time because we get airline miles on it. Excellent credit score for both of us.

We have about 10 (never carry a balance) and our credit is 794 approximately for me and 801 for DH.