5 Excellent Reasons to Own a Debit Card
filed in Personal Finance on Mar.12, 2009
Debit cards have become a modern day necessity in recent years. Not having one in your wallet is like living in the in the past which was depicted in yesterdays commercial on the television. In one scene people were queuing up at the cashiers and moving on after paying. The scene then changes where everything stops, the sky turns grey and the sun sets. An old lady pulls out her check book and when she starts writing her check the surrounding changes into the 1980s. I have put together 5 reasons why you should have debit cards in cased you are still living in the past like the old lady in the advertisement.
1. Ever experience stranded in the middle of nowhere with no cash at hand to even buy food? Having a debit card gives you the power to purchase anything almost everywhere. These days, every fast food outlet and takeaway places in town have the convenience of debit card payment. All you have to do is order your meal then swipe your plastic and off you go. You could even withdraw some cash at the same time just so that you dont get into the same predicament with an empty wallet again. Now this is something that credit card cant do. Most places even charge extra or demands you purchase a particular amount before letting you charge on credit.
3. Most banks offer their debit card holders with an online account as well. This means that you get to check your transaction almost anytime at anywhere to your convenience. Debit card transaction details appear almost immediately a day after your purchase. There are no surprises to where your money goes as you will now have a detailed trail to all your transactions. These days some banks also offer guarantee on internet transactions and online purchases just like credit cards.
3. Debit card cuts down on unplanned purchases as you can only afford to buy as much as you have in your account. It helps control your spending habit because it deducts the amount directly from your account. Unlike credit card, you dont get to buy now, pay later which most of the time translates to buy now, regret later.
4. Prepaid debit cards are gaining in popularity. These do NOT require a bank account. They are like those PAYG (pay as you go) phone cards. You get a card and load it with money. When the money is all used, the card can no longer be used. Simple, isnt it? This is a very easy way for business owners to pay freelancers or vendors. Even payroll can be made with debit cards
5. Owning a debit card helps you to live within your means especially when you are the type of person that struggles to pay your credit card debt every month. With debit card, you only spend what you have. There are no major fees involved and certainly no interest repayments therefore your debt will not compound to a horrendous figure like what most credit cards do.
Debit cards are becoming a popular choice for most people nowadays due to its convenience of purchase. Before you run off to apply for a debit card, make sure you conduct a thorough research on the plethora of debit cards around. Different cards have their perks and letdowns so remember to always read the fine prints before signing on the dotted line.
Leave a Reply