How often do you use a credit card?

[MSHappyCampers]

We rarely buy anything for cash anymore. We put everything we can on a Chase Visa card that gives us a cash rebate from 1% to 3%, depending on the purchase. We have a PenFed credit card that we use for all fuel purchases, with a 5% cash rebate! Of course, to get the rebates we pay off the cards every month! We save several hundred dollars a year this way!

[Flyer15015]

I use Verizon's card. 5% off gas, 3% off grocery's and 1% off everything else.
Monthly points go to reducing my Verizon bill.

[Podivin]

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

We rarely buy anything for cash anymore. We put everything we can on a Chase Visa card that gives us a cash rebate from 1% to 3%, depending on the purchase. We have a PenFed credit card that we use for all fuel purchases, with a 5% cash rebate! Of course, to get the rebates we pay off the cards every month! We save several hundred dollars a year this way!

I do the same as you, all purchases go on a rebate card, which gets paid off every month. I even scheduled put monthly payments on it when I can, like cell phone and home internet.

[LETMGROW]

I don't use plastic unless I absolutely have to. I prefer to pay by cash or check. No one has to know what I buy or do, where I go or anything else. If I do use a card it's paid the day I get the bill. The only use I have for a card is online ordering and to maintain a high credit rating. I don't even know how to buy gas at a pump with a credit card.
Cash is king. Often times a cash discount will outweigh what I can get back on credit card usage. The vendor takes a hit on every credit card purchase.

[rk911]

we use a CC nearly 100% of the time. Exceptions are for a few places and services that are cash only (barber, housekeeper, etc). all tips are in cash as well. we use a single card that does give cash back but that's just gravy. we have a backup card for the rare occasion that our primary card is not accepted, and a third emergency card kept in our safe in case our wallet and purse are lost or stolen.

[SomeDay]

We use our travel visa credit card (27+ years) for absolutely any and everything we possibly can including a newspaper or coffee unless ......... there's a premium charge or can save a lot more by paying cash.

For sure if you are concerned about tracking then cash is king assuming you carry large amount with you or receive cash payments somehow, otherwise can be tracked withdrawing it from institutions.

[George Schweikle]

Joe, we are charging literally everything and, as you do, pay the credit card balance every month. If you have a Chase VISA Freedom card, and use it a lot, consider changing to Freedom Unlimited which has 1 1/2 % rebate. That extra 1/2 % can add up

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

We rarely buy anything for cash anymore. We put everything we can on a Chase Visa card that gives us a cash rebate from 1% to 3%, depending on the purchase. We have a PenFed credit card that we use for all fuel purchases, with a 5% cash rebate! Of course, to get the rebates we pay off the cards every month! We save several hundred dollars a year this way!

[MSHappyCampers]

Originally Posted by George Schweikle

Joe, we are charging literally everything and, as you do, pay the credit card balance every month. If you have a Chase VISA Freedom card, and use it a lot, consider changing to Freedom Unlimited which has 1 1/2 % rebate. That extra 1/2 % can add up

Thanks, I'll check that out!

[Jim18655]

We started using a card for everything when I started getting direct deposit paychecks. Everything goes on the card and paid in full when the bill comes. Get 3% cash back on everything and the point add up fast.

[Old-Biscuit]

No Annual Fee Credit Cards......Cash Back/Pay off each month (no balances/no fees)

Credit card Cash Back pays ME for using the card
*Somebody/LOTS of somebodies ARE carrying balances/paying fee-interest in order for US to get cash back

I expect Cash Back to be reduced/eliminated ----until then I will continue using them


Credit Cards/Debit Cards etc
Set up ALERTS with Low Amount Transactions
*I get notified within 10 minutes (card dependent) on ALL transaction/activity

(if you have a cell phone, use debit card, have any bils, banking accounts etc-----THEY already KNOW)

[Mudfrog]

Two credit cards, one for online purchases, the other for everything else. Like to keep them separate in case fraud comes about. Both give cashback and both are paid off every month. We never pay interest charges. I grab the cashback when it reaches $100 or more and that seems to be about every three months.

I will sometimes write a check to an individual for a private purchase. Also pay the tax collector with a check because they charge a 3% fee if paying with a card. Needless to say, I'm still on my first book of checks after many years.

[BigBillSD]

We have two Citi cards that are used and paid off each month. (Card companies call us "dead beats" for paying it off each month)



We use the Citi Master card for 98% of all purchases except fuel The MC gives us 2% cash back. We also use the VAN feature from it, to create a credit card for purchases where we don't want them having our card number that's valid for 4 more years. Which is just about everywhere. All online and pay by phone. You can make them expire in a month or 24 months and set a spending limit.

For Fuel we use the Citi Costco Visa 4% off gas and diesel. (unless we find the TSD card saves us more. That's probably less than 20% of the time or its too far out of the way to make it worthwhile)



The Virtual Account Numbers (VANs) are helpful these days as everyone seems to be getting hacked and getting the bank to send a credit card to somewhere other than my home is a problem when traveling.



-Bill

[gatorb8]

BofA now has a card that gives me 2.65% on everything

[bobmar]

Pretty much everything is on a card. Utilities, insurance, gas, groceries, etc. Cash for things under $10 or $20. Personal checks for small businesses that won’t/can’t take cards or private purchases(don’t blame them for the 2-3% hit). It’s fun waiting at the grocery store for someone writing a check(Anyone remember counter checks at the grocery store?!).
All Discover cash back is banked to pay for family vacations. Adds up quickly. Way easier to track finances. Tried mostly cash once for a while, pockets were empty before we knew it!!