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When I buy a big ticket item I put it on a credit card. Then when I get one of those 0% for six months deals, I transfer the balance and pay it off at $200 or #300 a month. I've transferred balances so often, they may catch onto me. Well.....why pay extra interest if you don't have to?

From post #6:
Oh, and thought you were getting a great low rate on transfers to your current card? Hope you didn't already have a balance, because even if you pay off your ongoing or past purchases, payments are not applied to only the current purchase or past balances, but are instead divided between the transfer and other purchases resulting in guaranteed high interest fees on recent balances that you thought you were paying off in favor of keeping a high balance on the low interest transfer amount.

Sounds like you've figured a way to beat the system. I hope you know what you're doing. Some people think they can pull various schemes to beat the system and then they find out that the company has anticipated such a move. At least they're not on to you yet. That's exactly what I meant by being responsible with credit cards. It can be done if a person can think logically. For example, I generally just use one for paying for gas, or eating out. I pay the full balance off immediately.

Years ago, my husband and I decided to pay off our credit cards. We took advantage of all the low interest offers that came in the mail as well as good deals on balance transfers. We transferred as much of the balances to each card as we could.
Then, we gritted our teeth, tightened our belts and began hitting the payments as hard as we could. To keep track of everything, my husband made a flow chart! No kidding! We just kept paying heavy and transferring balances from card to card.
It took us about a year but we are totally debt free and now use one or two cards and pay them in full each month. We have even had a few credit card companies cancel us because we carry no balances. And, our credit report is just fine and we have never had any problems.

Then when I get one of those 0% for six months deals, I transfer the balance and pay it off at $200 or #300 a month.

I've got a better idea. Just don't use credit. Save up and pay cash. A lot of times, when you have to save up for something it gives you time to ponder whether you really need that item or if your money wouldn't be better off going into a mutual fund for your retirement. The instant gratification that comes with a credit card will always compel you to "buy it now."

I gave up using credit 4 or 5 years ago. My quality of life has gone up exponentially. There's something about being responsible with money that leads you to be even more responsible and even parsimonious.

People who say they can't make it without credit haven't tried hard enough. Two years ago, I saved up and paid cash for a car. And I don't have a six figure income.