To think this is not abnormal?!

[Linnylinn1]

In work today one of the girls asked me something about a credit card and transferring a balance. I said “oh don’t ask me I have never had a credit card, I don’t know anything about them!” She was totally shocked that I don’t have one (as were the rest of the office!” AIBU to think it’s not THAT shocking!!??

Not abnormal OP. I have two debit cards and thats it. Had a credit card years ago just for credit building and thats it.

I did not have one until my flights were cancelled when the chartered airline went bust. Atol protected, but took 6 months to get the money back.
A credit card means you can claim on the card (if over 100.00).
So I now have one, and use it periodically, but always pay off each month

Used to have one, ran up several k, paid it off, cut it up, and have never had one since.

The whole "never needed one" attitude is so strange.

We don't NEED to put purchases on a credit card in the sense that the bill is always paid off each month and we're not using it to access the credit aspect of it - spreading payments and buying things we can't really afford outright.

But there are so many benefits to credit cards including the consumer protection aspect, the fact that many will give you 0% if you do want to make a large purchase like a holiday, many are linked to schemes giving you points for everything you buy with it.

The whole "never needed it" brigade are fundamentally misunderstanding how most people use credit cards and seem to think they are a highway to financial hell.

I only got one when I started working for a company that didn't pay travel expenses up front, only retrospectively, and I had to sometimes fork out thousands of pounds before being reimbursed.

Now I use it all the time - they're handy abroad, and safer than a debit card.

Credit card companies do a lot of the fighting for you if you ever need a refund or if you're unlucky enough to be defrauded (online, or card skimmed somewhere).

I've had this reaction too. I'm 44 and don't have a credit card. I used them lots when I was a student and in my 20s - probably too much - but haven't had one since paying those off. Dh does have one which we use for travel etc though.

In fairness I know many, many people who have ended up in financial hell because of credit cards.

I'm 31 and DH is 32

You're a credit-crunch career starter like me. It's perfectly normal for us because almost nowhere was giving out credit cards when we were old enough to get them and a lot of people our age just learned not to put everything on credit; we went without or saved up (and let's be fair, a credit rating os only good for getting more credit). For people 5+ years older/younger, though, it's normal to have credit cards.

I’m 45 and I’ve never had a credit card. I don’t spend money I don’t have

I don't have one and am very adult. I found the opposite lots of friends in their 20s running up ridiculous debts on fun. All good until they spent their 30s paying them off.

PS I have a credit card now and it's useful abroad or for consumer protection on big purchases but that's about it.

I've never had one.
My brother has, or did, and he racked up thousands in debt on it, some years ago.
My other half has one, he did the same some years ago.
I've known many people have them and rack up debt, I've known a few who haven't but they seem a pain in the arse.
I would never trust myself with one.

I’m 45 and I’ve never had a credit card. I don’t spend money I don’t have

I’m 35 and have multiple credit cards. I also don’t spend money I don’t have. I have never once not paid it off in full at the end of the month before incurring interest. I build up lots of Costco points which are essentially free money.

Credit cards are not dangerous. Failing to pay them off is what makes credit a bad idea, but that's true of any debt. If you had a mortgage and never paid it you would face consequences.

My credit card gives me cash back, and protects me against fraud far better than any debit card. I have it automatically set up to pay the full amount from my bank account every month, and I never buy anything that I can't afford.

I've managed my money like that since I was 17 years old, even when I was incredibly poor and could only just afford food. As boring as it sounds, using a credit card is just a way of organizing your money, not some tempting gateway drug.

a lot of people our age just learned not to put everything on credit; we went without or saved up

We still go without or save up, the only difference is that when we do make a big purchase, we do it on credit card and it's better protected than the same purchase on a debit card. If you pay it all off straight away, you're not using it as a credit/debt facility, you're using it as a consumer protection facility.

(and let's be fair, a credit rating is only good for getting more credit)

Like a mortgage you mean? Yeah, I can't imagine why that would be useful.

I don’t spend money I don’t have

And there's that superior sneery attitude, bundled up with a whole heap of misunderstanding in one simple phrase.

Most people with credit cards aren't spending money they don't have either.

a lot of people our age just learned not to put everything on credit; we went without or saved up

I also go without or save up.
It is financially savvy to put purchases on a credit card. I worked in finance, DH still does. We put all purchases on a credit card.

We dont have a CC although we do have a Debit card . Seem to manage OK ,can buy off Internet ,book flights ,pay for shopping etc.

Yeah, I'd be surprised too.
The only person I know who doesn't have one is my 86 year old father, who doesn't trust them.

I'm 37 and I've never had one. If I can't afford it I don't buy it. Especially after my ex husband rang up loads of debt across 3 or 4 cards. We had to re-mortgage the house and he had to enter into a debt re-payment plan to pay them all off and avoid bankruptcy. When we split and we wanted to sell the house we were in negative equity due to having 2 mortgages and it took 2.5 years to sort. I avoid getting one at all costs, it's too too tempting to mad and get into trouble.

Not abnormal but certainly unusual.

I got in a mess with credit cards in my early twenties, so have felt a bit triggered by them ever since. But this thread has been very illuminating - especially as I'm going to make some big furniture purchases after Christmas.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a card which gives cashback on supermarket shopping? My usual monthly spending is just food and bills.

I don't have one? Not everyone agrees with them

I think the OP might have been expecting lots of admiring posts about how unusual and superior they are, and how all her colleagues are spendthrifts, as credit cards obviously mean instant financial ruin!

I don't have one either op! Never have.