More than 8 million drop out of credit card use(

AP via Yahoo ^ | November 29, 2010 | Eileen Aj Connely

[4yearlurker]

We have not had a credit card for about 15 years now. No problems and life goes on. Yes we still can rent cars and reserve and pay for motel rooms.

[Domandred]

I’m one of them. I paid off my last credit card a few months ago. Haven’t looked back.

[Domandred]

It is impossible to rent a car without a real credit card...

No it's not. I rent cars and book hotels all the time with my debit card.

[PA Engineer]

I'm confused as to why the American Express card is included in the list. For business a credit card is a necessity. American Express is normally paid off on a month to month basis.

Having a second card such as Visa with a zero balance is also a necessity for business in locations that do not accept AE.

Credit cards are tools and need to be used wisely. The only thing that I believe is criminal now are the foreign transaction fees, especially when charged pre-travel on originations in the US. That one just ticks me off.

[stuartcr]

I have one also, besides, I don’t mind using a credit card. My experience has been that it is extremely difficult to rent a car with a debit card, especially OCONUS.

[AppyPappy]

I have a Visa debit card. It works just like a credit card but it has the added protection of a PIN.

[ctdonath2]

Credit card use IS debt.

Better analogy is firearms use causes holes in things.

Whether debt or holes is a good thing depends on the application and circumstances.

[stuartcr]

That’s what I have. It doesn’t work overseas for car rentals though. It’s my personal account, and I don’t like to use it for work, so I have a couple of credit cards I use when I travel. Sometimes I have problems with AE in Japan at retail stores.

[posterchild]

True but it is temporary (30 day) interest free debt unless it was from a cash advance or if one chooses to ride a balance.

There are good and bad uses of debt but my point was that people’s debt problems cannot be blamed on the credit cards but in how they are used.

[1_Rain_Drop]

"I'm confused as to why the American Express card is included in the list. "

AE works like any other card now. On the green card the monthly balance has to be paid off. If there is a charge over $200 (maybe $100 now) you can take forever to pay it off. The payment due on that amount is $20 monthly.

[derllak]

Yeah, but when you’ve got one, you’re more apt to use it. :)

I don’t have a credit card and I do just fine without one.

[El Laton Caliente]

The last car I rented in Anchorage, AK out of 8 rental companies only one would take a debit card and they wanted a large cash deposit.

I used to use a debit card all the time but almost no rental company will take them now.