Why do people still use credit cards?

Question

I don't get why in these hard economic times, why most people still have and use credit cards. I don't even own a credit card. I'm 19, and have never had one and never will. I pay everything in cash. And if I don't have the money for it, and its not in the bank, (once in a while i'll use debt) then I just don't buy it. I never barrow money from the bank, I didn't go to college so I have no student loans, i bought a used car in cash, and my only bills are my apartment and utilities. I don't understand how a 19 year old could do this but most older people can't. I learned from my grandfather a long time ago, never ever get a credit card. Well I listened. And for awhile everyone thought credit was the new money, but now it costs 10-20 cents more for gas on credit, they charge interest on everything you buy, and its what most people are in debt for. It doesn't make any sense to have one. I don't even have it for emergencys. If something bad happens and I can't get the cash, oh well!

Answer 1

Well at 19, it's so easy to say that but life gets a little more complicated when you go to college and you have student loans and bills that you cannot pay for with cash.  Some of us made different choices and didn't have the cash when things happened, such as when emergencies happened, like when I had to fly across the country twice round-trip b/c my Mother was dying and that came out of my pocket while I was in my last year of grad school.  No one was going to pay that almost $1000 bill for plane tickets.  Are you going to pay that for me?  I didn't think so.  There was a lot of things I could afford at 19 but can't now because life was simpler and I had less bills but you wait and you'll see.  Life isn't that easy.

Answer 2

So you don't have a student loan because you never went to college? Well, good for you that you didn't have to take up a loan, but most students will sooner or later have to finance their studies one way or another.

I'm personally against using money that I don't own myself, and I don't ever want to acquire a card that can take more money than I have on my bank account.

Many seem to think that a credit card like MasterCard or Diners Club gives them more financial freedom. But the reality is that they're being made slaves to the loan sharks, and will have to spend the rest of their lifes working to pay back their debts. Why do people use credit cards? because of the materialism that seems to rule the world today.

My advice is simple: If you want something, then ask yourself the following: Is it worth working overtime and saving money to buy this thing, or is the fact simply that I don't need this c**p?

Answer 3

i generally agree i use the cash rule for alot of things...although i do have credit cards....i have them for other reasons though ...for example emergencies.....once my car broke down and i couldnt even get a tow truck to come out (they wanted a credit card number) or for example once in a while if theres something i want (can only b purchased online or if its something that costs a little more then the cash i have then i can but it and pay it off right away or in 2 or 3 payments)

Answer 4

because we live in a society where we think we have to have everything at whatever cost! I also said I would never get any credit cards! I have 4 now!! mainly I got them because I wanted to rebuild my credit but im very responsible about how i use them! its just so easy to get them that people dont really think about what its really costing them in the long run!!