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Original poster

Anyone live without a credit card?

96 replies

Snowman123 · 12/01/2018 20:47

Does anyone only have a debit card? Do you have any problems living without a credit card?
(thinking about giving mine up for good.....remove all temptation)

OP posts:
gillybeanz · 12/01/2018 22:09

I've never had the need for a credit card tbh, it's just a different mind set.
I can't get used to paying for things so much per month.
I'm pretty sure apart from dd for bills, we don't do this.

I was brought up to believe that it was better to save than use credit, and even though I know most people manage fine budgeting this way, it just wasn't for me, or my dh.

Royalcoronation · 12/01/2018 22:09

Don't have one. Don't need one.

ButteredScone · 12/01/2018 22:09

I don’t. I have a reasonable income and I’m solvent but I just use my debit card.

I really need to get one though because I have a crap credit score as I have no regular borrowing. It’s on my list of things to organise.

candlefloozy · 12/01/2018 22:10

I have one visa debit card. Nothing else. I manage fine. Husband has one visa debit card and a credit card which is used very very rarely.

MaisyPops · 12/01/2018 22:11

Havinga credit card, doesn't mean buying stuff you can't afford
This ^^
It feels like some posts have an undertone of judgement towards credit cards / I don't have a credit card because unlike some people we only spend what we can afford.

I have a credit card. I use it for big purchases. Recently ordered some furniture on it because if between ordering and delivery the company goes bust then I've gor extra protection. Same for booking flights etc. Why wpuldn't I want that?
I can afford everything I buy on it. The idea that credit cards means a financially responsible person will end up in debt is daft.
Don't get me wrong, I have friends who won't get one because they know they'd be tempted to 'just put it on card' and that's great. Each to their own. Just don't assume people have them because they want what they can't afford.

gillybeanz · 12/01/2018 22:14

We manage to travel fine without credit cards and were reimbursed when things went wrong, never had hotels not accept them.
Where are you all going where debit cards aren't accepted?

TammySwansonTwo · 12/01/2018 22:14

Well technically I do have a credit card, but I haven't used it for about five years now. I save up for what I want or I don't get it, and that's that really.

Bluelonerose · 12/01/2018 22:19

I got one about 10 years ago but only because I didn't have any credit rating and I was told having one and paying it off in full every month would boost my credit rating
So that's what I did.
Was really pissed off that they gave me a limit HIGHER than what I earned in a year Hmm Shock

I only use it to buy petrol and anything I need to protect etc. Then pay it off.

ChangedToday · 12/01/2018 22:20

Didn't have one for years/decades until I wanted to hire a car abroad, found out just in time that I would need one for that. Never used for another few years after that until it slowly turned out more convenient and safer for larger bookings, online transactions and such like. Always pay it off in full though.

peachypetite · 12/01/2018 22:22

I always thought you were much better booking flights, holidays, big purchases on a credit card?

MaisyPops · 12/01/2018 22:23

gilly
Places accept debit often but by law you don't have the same protections.
www.moneysupermarket.com/credit-cards/guide-to-credit-card-protection/

It's why we save for big purchases but make the purchase on a credit card and pay it off.

Caprinihahahaha · 12/01/2018 22:28

This isn’t a judgement issue
I think it’s about knowing yourself and making a choice based on that
I haven’t had a credit card since I was about 20 which was decades ago.
I knew I was not good with the temptation and I was someone who bought stuff I didn’t need and then resented still paying it off months later because I didn’t earn much

If you are sensible then have one for the protection that you get for large purchases etc but if not you can manage without if you buy sensibly

MaisyPops · 12/01/2018 22:34

I agree with this I think it’s about knowing yourself and making a choice based on that.
My issue was people saying thinhs like we don't have one because we only buy what we afford.
Why not just say 'we don't have one because we prefer to use debit card or cash' or 'we don't have one because we might be tempted to just put things oj credit'
The implication otherwise when youbsau 'we only buy what we afford' is people with credit cards are buying what they can't afford.

idontlikealdi · 12/01/2018 22:39

I don’t have one. After having several I the past I have no need now they’re paid off. Travel etc all no problem with visa debit.

Caprinihahahaha · 12/01/2018 22:41

Sure Maisy
I know what you mean & totally agree.

And absolutely I manage fine without a credit card because I rarely have to think too hard to work out if I can afford things which is an incredibly fortunate situation.

DaleTremont · 12/01/2018 22:42

Don't forget that you can use credit card payment for only part of a purchase and you will still get the section 75 protection.

So for example if you pay £50 deposit for a flight by credit card, then the remaining £250 by cash, your total purchase for £300 is protected if the airline goes bust even though you only paid for part of it on your card.

This does only cover single purchases over £100. So if you bought 2 cheap flights at the same time for £52 each on one credit card, even though the total is £104, they would not be covered as the single item price is too low.

AdoraBell · 12/01/2018 22:43

I have stopped using my credit card, but I’m not confident of things like booking a holiday or flights without knowing that if the company goes under the CC will pay out.

This happened to stepson son last year and because his gf had booked with her CC they still got a holiday.

clumsyduck · 12/01/2018 22:43

Yep ! Not minted by a long shot !! If I can afford the repayments I can afford to save that instead . Means I don't always have the latest stuff but no debt

SimoneOfHouseDavies · 12/01/2018 22:48

I was very financially irresponsible in my youth and racked up a load of debt on store cards. Stupid I know but no one taught me about finances and I didn't have very good role models, put it that way! Anyway paid off last chunk of debt in 2016 and have been debt free since, it's a lovely feeling.

My partner is very anti credit of any kind so although he has a credit card it's never used for anything and we literally pay for everything with what we have, no credit. He's so bloody sensible sometimes I get annoyed that he won't 'pay later' for anything but I suppose it makes sense and I haven't got a very good track record with credit so not in a position to complain! We're not overly materialistic at all, happy to live within our means but sometimes I wonder if there are other benefits to using credit responsibly that we may be missing out on, so this thread is interesting.

Surfingwhippet · 12/01/2018 22:50

I got one for a holiday abroad last year. It was to get the best exchange rate. It was paid off within 3 days of getting back from our holiday and has been used about 3 times since. All for online purchases for the protection it gives.

nancy75 · 12/01/2018 22:55

We have one that we use once a year when we hire a car on holiday ( most foreign car rentals seem to require credit card) it’s paid off straight away & not used at any other time. We are lucky enough to not need to use a cc to get by in everyday life so we don’t use it.

KanielOutis · 13/01/2018 07:25

I don't even use a debit card day to day. I like to see what I'm spending, and keep a track of how much is left, so I withdraw spends in cash each week and when it's gone, that's it until next week.

BackforGood · 13/01/2018 15:18

I like to see what I'm spending, and keep a track of how much is left

Then a credit card would really help, as, at any point you can just log on and see exactly what you have spent - plus of course what you have left.

I really am not the slightest bit bothered whether anyone else has a credit card of not - matters not an iota to me, but this thread seems full of people posting "reasons not to have a credit card" that are either inaccurate or just don't make sense.

BarbaraofSevillle · 13/01/2018 18:08

I don't use a debit card either. I put everything on a credit card and pay it off in full every month by direct debit and just treat it like another bill.

I make cashback, get 6 weeks free credit and even got all my money back including the extra cost of more expensive new flights when Monarch went bust 2 days before we were due to fly out last year. (Most travel insurance policies don't cover this).

A credit card is also more or less necessary to hire a card abroad and quite often you need a card in a hotel and if they use your debit card, it would make the money in your current account inaccessible for other purposes for the duration of your stay because the hotel reserves it. A CC is also useful for getting the best available rates on foreign exchange.

If you use them wisely a CC can be very useful and profitable.

Littlechocola · 13/01/2018 18:12

No credit card and no overdraft. Never had an issue.