What did you do before debit & credit cards?

Rikki

Before I had credit cards large purchases were made on Store Cards or buy saving up.. I remember the extortionate rate of interest I had to pay when I bought my first television and video. We always rented before then.

Stompa

LOL - blimey, hope I never get behind you and ashmit buying your Mars bars...

You wouldn't want me to lose out on the cashback though would you?

Stompa

ManAtHome

If only I hadn't had 18 pints of Old Scrungy I could've worked out 2% of 35p..

Poppy9

I'm like the Queen I hardly ever have cash on me


I use a debit card for nearly all transactions and only use credit card for internet and purchases over £100. Always paid off in full, unless 0%. I always take advantage of interest free credit if they won't give a discount for up front payment.

Only debt I have at this time is my mortgage which is quite low. I have SO set up to saving accounts so money goes out as soon as I am paid. I have only once had a bank loan in my life £500 to go on my honeymoon. I have never had a car loan and hope I never will.

hellofreebies

since using credit cards i have saved more money than my days of cash as i can stock up on bogof, offers etc...as the money is there if you need to borrow interest free til next pay day... before in my cash days i would not dream of borrowing money from family or friend for non essential items so wouldve had to let the offers go by and pay full price when i need or run out of things. I rarely pay rrp for anything these days as i can just wait and anticipate when a good deal comes around and put it on the card. i rarely use cash other than for the newspaper, icecream man, window cleaner etc... i never keep more then a tenner cash in my purse and keep approx. £30 emergency funds in the house as everything i buy goes on my tescos credit card which give me a summary of my total spendings each month along with my clubcard points ofcourse. I believe good money management starts at a young age...i wasnt given regular pocket money as such but always had my own purse full of ten pences and fifty pences (no pound coins or twenty pences in those days) for comics, ice cream, sweets, stationery for school etc which would be topped up by my parents if it ran low...i think knowing i had the choice to buy something if i wanted it stopped the craving to want it so bad and that way my purse stayed full longer.

Iona_Penny

I think the answer in part is the type of person you are.

I ran up store card and credit card debt for no good reason ( mother dying v.suddenly was poss a part trigger but she would have been horrified.)

When it all came out (oh didn't know-unopened envelopes etc) I had nothing to show for it all and that was the hardest part.

Anyway I dont have cards now and although husband does he hums and haws if I want him to use it. I use cash so much more and find it works for me you can see that it is real money you're spending. We still have an overdraft that we are reducing so am not perfect and find that aking your eye off the ball even for one month is a disaster.

Next year I hope to be in a position to apply for a cc to do my online Tesco shop and earn clubcard points but part of me wonders deep down if I will be in control.

At least coming here tells me people can change and taking control does feel good, and cash has been the way for me.