Who doesn't have a credit card

[AshBurrows]

I'd never get rid of my clarity. It's made spending outside of the UK far far cheaper and easier. What do the anti-card people do? Eat all the fees or just carry multiple thousands in cash around and then lose out when change any back to pounds?

[chow pan toon]

I used to only use a debit card but after an experience a few years ago of having my debit card cloned and cancelled over a bank holiday weekend left me unable to withdraw cash or make any purchases I now do all my personal spending on a credit card which I clear monthly. Thanks to contactless I can now even use it for small transactions.

ETA It was very easy to do a chargeback after an internet purchase worth a few hundred quid from a company that went into liquidation between me returning the faulty item and them refunding.

[Jockman]

bmwmike said:

The protection is not the same as credit cards though. Charge back is discretionary and not legally binding on the payment card provider as section 75.

Correct. However, many people are unaware of the Chargeback facility.

[Pothole]

Didn't take long to descend into the usual PH "If you don't do and think exactly as I do then you're really stupid unless you can come up with a convincing argument and show complete costings as to why your attitude is different" did it?

[anonymous-user]

Pothole said:

Didn't take long to descend into the usual PH "If you don't do and think exactly as I do then you're really stupid unless you can come up with a convincing argument and show complete costings as to why your attitude is different" did it?

the problem with any debate on ph, is the vast majority have such entrenched viewpoints they will disregard anything that they don't agree with, even if it has valid points.

Edited by The Spruce goose on Thursday 1st June 12:40

[Jimmy Recard]

Pothole said:

Didn't take long to descend into the usual PH "If you don't do and think exactly as I do then you're really stupid unless you can come up with a convincing argument and show complete costings as to why your attitude is different" did it?

There has been a bit of that, but I think it was mostly reasoned explanations of why people choose one method or another.

There are a couple of "people who don't do it my way are stupid" posts and "if you have a credit card, you can't afford it" posts though

[Shnozz]

I am just intrigued as to why someone would choose not to? I can see a number of benefits to having one and no negatives so am willing to be educated. Unless, as I say, its just simply due to lack of self-discipline, which is fair enough. If not, however, why eschew the benefits of a CC?

[Evoluzione]

Nope, no use for one.
I have one for the business which gets used regularly as businesses need credit, I personally don't.

[Xaero]

I used a platinum AMEX for as many purchases as possible (which is quite a lot as most of my spend is at a petrol station, supermarket or Amazon). I get 1.25% cashback on everything for it. Quite possible to spend £10k over a year, so £125 saved over debit card users. If I spend £10k in a year they give a month of 2.5% cashback which is the month I use for big purchases/early Christmas spending.
I use Virgin Atlantic as a VISA credit card for everywhere AMEX isn't accepted, just to collect points and use for an upgrade some year, I'm sure there is a better option out there though as I don't fly regularly anymore.
I use cash for anything else, which is pretty much just take away shops nowadays.
Both get paid off in full each month, so I don't pay any interest.
I don't use them for 'credit' really, just for these bonus' where I would otherwise use a debit card.

If the card gets cloned it's the bank's problem, their money being stolen not mine. I also keep my money in the bank earning some paltry interest until I have to pay the card automatically by direct debit rather than the money go instantly with a debit card.

[battered]

I don't. I had one but it was cancelled through disuse. I need to get another but it's been 10yrs plus now.

[Pothole]

Shnozz said:

I am just intrigued as to why someone would choose not to? I can see a number of benefits to having one and no negatives so am willing to be educated. Unless, as I say, its just simply due to lack of self-discipline, which is fair enough. If not, however, why eschew the benefits of a CC?

Your previous post would suggest you're not just intrigued, as would the fact that people have given you their personal reasons and you seem to have found those difficult to accept

earlier you said:

This thread is just bizarre.

STUFF

I cannot see any negatives aside from if you are a spanner when it comes to self-control. Why would you not have one?

Edited by Pothole on Friday 2nd June 07:10

[Shnozz]

Pothole said:

Shnozz said:

I am just intrigued as to why someone would choose not to? I can see a number of benefits to having one and no negatives so am willing to be educated. Unless, as I say, its just simply due to lack of self-discipline, which is fair enough. If not, however, why eschew the benefits of a CC?

Your previous post would suggest you're not just intrigued, as would the fact that people have given you their personal reasons and you seem to have found those difficult to accept

I must be unobservant then. I saw quite a few folks saying they didn't have one but no real explanation as to why not. Self-preservation seemed to be the only post offered by one reply?

[Shnozz]

Sorry - just found your post among them too. Hadn't read it before - a fair enough reason also.

[AndStilliRise]

I have one and have one for the wife. Gets hammered through the month and year and although i pay just the minimum, do regularly pay it off. Usually when its well into 5 digits.

In the past it has been cloned but we do find the protection invaluable. i.e. if a seller is not willing to return an item deemed faulty, i can invoke my credit card to revoke the transaction.

[iphonedyou]

swerni said:

This is where many miss the point, it's not about needing, more taking advantage.
I get companion alrline tickets and tens of thousands of airlmiles every year by using cards.
I don't need credit, but I certainly use it to my advantage and it's free

I can't understand how this is continually missed.

I can fly two of us first class return, long haul, every year for the price of economy - for using entirely free credit. No 45% APR, no scary debt trap.

It's really not a 'need' thing.

[ashleyman]

iphonedyou said:

swerni said:

This is where many miss the point, it's not about needing, more taking advantage.
I get companion alrline tickets and tens of thousands of airlmiles every year by using cards.
I don't need credit, but I certainly use it to my advantage and it's free

I can't understand how this is continually missed.

I can fly two of us first class return, long haul, every year for the price of economy - for using entirely free credit. No 45% APR, no scary debt trap.

It's really not a 'need' thing.

I need a card and would like something similar to you. What card do you have and roughly how much would you say you spend to get those flights?

[Pothole]

swerni said:

ashleyman said:

iphonedyou said:

swerni said:

This is where many miss the point, it's not about needing, more taking advantage.
I get companion alrline tickets and tens of thousands of airlmiles every year by using cards.
I don't need credit, but I certainly use it to my advantage and it's free

I can't understand how this is continually missed.

I can fly two of us first class return, long haul, every year for the price of economy - for using entirely free credit. No 45% APR, no scary debt trap.

It's really not a 'need' thing.

I n acard and would like something similar to you. What card do you have and roughly how much would you say you spend to get those flights?

British airways Amex or virgin credit card are the ones I use but there are others
Spend depends on which card you have. If you have the free one virgin is £15k a year and Amex is £20k.
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/credit-cards/airl...

The thought doesn't seem to have occurred that many PHers don't have that kind of expenditure level (or might prefer not to spend that much on a CC they then have to arrange to pay, etc. etc?) You do it, and it sounds like you've been doing this habitually for a while.

I'm 51 and earning close to average UK wage. Unless I suddenly change the way I finance my life completely I'll never spend £15-20k on a credit card.

Also, there's 3 of us...and we don't really like flying long haul.

[chow pan toon]

Pothole said:

swerni said:

ashleyman said:

iphonedyou said:

swerni said:

This is where many miss the point, it's not about needing, more taking advantage.
I get companion alrline tickets and tens of thousands of airlmiles every year by using cards.
I don't need credit, but I certainly use it to my advantage and it's free

I can't understand how this is continually missed.

I can fly two of us first class return, long haul, every year for the price of economy - for using entirely free credit. No 45% APR, no scary debt trap.

It's really not a 'need' thing.

I n acard and would like something similar to you. What card do you have and roughly how much would you say you spend to get those flights?

British airways Amex or virgin credit card are the ones I use but there are others
Spend depends on which card you have. If you have the free one virgin is £15k a year and Amex is £20k.
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/credit-cards/airl...

The thought doesn't seem to have occurred that many PHers don't have that kind of expenditure level (or might prefer not to spend that much on a CC they then have to arrange to pay, etc. etc?) You do it, and it sounds like you've been doing this habitually for a while.

I'm 51 and earning close to average UK wage. Unless I suddenly change the way I finance my life completely I'll never spend £15-20k on a credit card.

Also, there's 3 of us...and we don't really like flying long haul.

Probably best you don't do it then. He was only answering a question after all...

[Pothole]

chow pan toon said:

Probably best you don't do it then. He was only answering a question after all...

Thanks for the permission!

The tone of this is not quite "only answering a question:

"This is where many miss the point, it's not about needing, more taking advantage.
I get companion alrline tickets and tens of thousands of airlmiles every year by using cards.
I don't need credit, but I certainly use it to my advantage and it's free"

[SkinnyPete]

I have one just for the rewards, never actually used it for "credit" purposes,

Typically spend about £1500-3000 each month, always paid in full. Most I've spent on it was £10k, three months on the run, which paid for a couple of nice flights to go on holiday.

I think its easy to say if you don't have a credit card you are giving away free money.