If you’re responsible with them you get a number of perks. Many cards have some mix of the following:
extended warranties on electronics
fraud protection (I had a credit card stolen and $17k charged to it, all forgiven)
pretty easy dispute system if someone fucks you (Iceland Air fucked me real bad on a canceled flight/voucher bs scam they were pulling on people during Covid. I filed a dispute and got all my money back)
% back on all kinds of purchase categories
free road side assistance
air miles
upgrades in flights
iirc some hotels and rental car companies require them
etc etc
I’ve never paid interest on a single card in my life because I always pay my balance in full. Works out great for me. If you’re bad with money, I’d stay way.
There are a lot of consumer protections on credit cards that do not apply to debit cards. I pay for basically everything with a credit card. I pay the card off every month.
Sure, but that’s just how it goes. Businesses take their transaction fees and roll that up into their overhead expenses and then factor out their retail pricing with that in mind.
Knowing that, you can try to claw some of that back by utilizing card benefits or not. It’s basically the only thing you do have control of in this situation.
Eh, the more you claw back, the more they jack up their overheads.
Never wonder why credit cards never became that popular in other countries, or why lots of places abroad have signs saying “American Express not accepted”?
You’re getting robbed, and walking right into it.
Debit cards have the same consumer protection as credit cards in Europe, the only “benefits” you’re getting are the ones you’ve paid for
Credit card transaction fee percentages have remained about the same for quite a while, so the overhead for businesses running cards has not really changed. And interest rates for carrying a balance change all the time, but I have never once in my life paid said interest because I pay my balance off every month. That’s the only responsible way to use credit cards.
In any case, credit cards aren’t going anywhere for the time being. So if you’re in the US or some other country where they’re prevalent, you can participate or not. That’s your choice. But you’re paying for it anyway, as you yourself pointed out.
If you’re responsible with them you get a number of perks. Many cards have some mix of the following:
I’ve never paid interest on a single card in my life because I always pay my balance in full. Works out great for me. If you’re bad with money, I’d stay way.
This!
There are a lot of consumer protections on credit cards that do not apply to debit cards. I pay for basically everything with a credit card. I pay the card off every month.
I don’t think people realise that, you are actually paying for all those things, just in a roundabout way. Even people without credit cards are
Sure, but that’s just how it goes. Businesses take their transaction fees and roll that up into their overhead expenses and then factor out their retail pricing with that in mind.
Knowing that, you can try to claw some of that back by utilizing card benefits or not. It’s basically the only thing you do have control of in this situation.
Eh, the more you claw back, the more they jack up their overheads.
Never wonder why credit cards never became that popular in other countries, or why lots of places abroad have signs saying “American Express not accepted”?
You’re getting robbed, and walking right into it.
Debit cards have the same consumer protection as credit cards in Europe, the only “benefits” you’re getting are the ones you’ve paid for
Credit card transaction fee percentages have remained about the same for quite a while, so the overhead for businesses running cards has not really changed. And interest rates for carrying a balance change all the time, but I have never once in my life paid said interest because I pay my balance off every month. That’s the only responsible way to use credit cards.
In any case, credit cards aren’t going anywhere for the time being. So if you’re in the US or some other country where they’re prevalent, you can participate or not. That’s your choice. But you’re paying for it anyway, as you yourself pointed out.
Lol the percentages remained the same cos all the prices went up 😂
Guess why a part of that increase happened
Uh, sure. Ok.