What card is that?... those are great interests

I'm a debit card user myself... although it isn't as safe as a credit card (if someone steals it, they have access to your account as some places don't bother going through the pin number punch in), but if someone steals your credit card you can cancel it immediately. Although I think you can cancel the debit card too. I don't ever want to get in a situation like that.

One of the pros of using debit is that you can view everything online. It's really easy, and purchases that have not been received will appear as if they are so you know in the worst case scenario just how much money you have left. Deposits can be slow though. But you don't have to go through paying off bills with checks - they're already paid for. I have a Visa debit, and I use it just like a credit card on most sites, like Amazon.

If you got Capital One, don't do business with Chase or MBNA either. Both companies keep upping my limits, but also upping my interest rate. MBNA had me up to $10,500 credit line, but a 24% interest rate, and I HAVE GOOD CREDIT. Never missed a payment, never been late, I have large amounts of available credit too.

American Express is awesome, but it isn't taken in a lot of places. Right now they got me at $22,000 with a 12% rate and 3.99% rate for transfers FOR THE LIFE OF THE TRANSFER. On top of that I got a cool clear/blue card too. (I got the Blue Cash). It also pays 5% back on gas which is awesome these days.

Hey SN, is that 5% a default for all Blue memebers or is there anything special I have to do to activate it? I'm driving cross-country twice this summer and 5% would be a huge perk over the usual 1%.

I can do this with both my American Express Blue card as well as my Citizen's Bank/Mastercard debit. My Blue card actually lets me pay as of the third of the month even though payment isn't due until the twenty fourth.

I have been thinking of getting a credit card lately. I am somewhat confused though.

I get along fine with just my debit card, and the only reason I am thinking of getting a credit card is because I have heard that it is important to establish good credit. My question is, can you really get along without a credit card? For instance, say I get out of college and decide to get a car. Don't the dealerships or sellers require that I have good credit before I drive off with a car? Doesn't buying a house require the same thing? If I have never had a credit card, and hence no credit, how can I enjoy these things?

Is it possible to make large purchases, or take out any loan for that matter, without first establishing credit? Or is it enough to show proof of employment or an appropriate income for the purchases in question?

Well, if you can afford to pay a car cash, you don't really need credit. But yes, it's important to establish good credit, especially if you don't want to end up with huge interest rates on your mortgage or other loans.

You can take out loans without credit, but banks usually require you to have a stable job, plus they charge a lot of interest. Also, you probably won't be allowed to take out too much at first go. Remember, paying off loans establishes good credit as well.

I used to have a Visa debit, but after changing banks, I lost the logo on the debit card. I have a separate Visa credit card now, along with a normal debit card from my new bank, and my name doesn't appear on that one.

I kinda like BLUE from American Express.