Do you use credit cards?

[robotclown]

I was a cash/debit card person in my younger days.  But cash is generally an annoyance, and debit cards have pretty lousy fraud protections.   I would never buy anything online with a debit card.

If you keep track of your spending (and I'm sure you do, since you're here,)  there's not much downside to using a credit card.

So "non-revolving" is the way to be huh? I've been meaning to start building up my credit score as I've never taken out a loan or been in debt so it's probably non-existent. On that note, how to I get one of my three free annual credit reports?

Annualcreditreport.com.  You won't get a credit score with it though, that actually costs money.

[libertarian4321]

I use credit cards whenever I can.

They convenient, free (actually, I make money using them), and safer than cash or debit cards.

I haven't even had to pay postage to mail in a bill in years.

[TheNorwegianGuy]

I have never owned a credit card. So no, I dont use them.

[khotte]

Absolutely! I exclusively only use credit cards everywhere I can. I do a bit of credit card churning just for the sign-up bonuses. If companies are willing to give me free money, I'm willing to take it!

One just has to make sure they already have their spending under control like many do on this forum. Then you can rack up the rewards for free just for swiping your card like you normally would have swiped your debit card or paid with cash.

[Chranstronaut]

So "non-revolving" is the way to be huh? I've been meaning to start building up my credit score as I've never taken out a loan or been in debt so it's probably non-existent. On that note, how to I get one of my three free annual credit reports?

To check all three, you'll want to go to www.annualcreditreport.com.  Don't bother with any of the other sites you might hear advertised, this site is the one that is actually free and authorized.  You'll need to give them your social security number and answer security questions (usually about old addresses and phone numbers).  Sometimes the security questions are purposefully false, so don't be worried if it seems like none of the multiple-choice security questions apply to you.

You can order your credit report once a year for each of the three organizations.  You can do all three at once, or you can spread them out over the course of the year.  There's nothing wrong with getting them all at the same time, but some people prefer to spread them out as a means of keeping tabs on your credit more regularly.  Be warned that not all debts or inquiries are reported to all agencies.  For instance, I had a small unpaid medical bill sent to collections a few years before I ever checked my credit history.  It still only appears on my Experian report, the other two are perfectly clear.

[GGNoob]

For everything I buy, including stocks (from Loyal3.com). Even without the minimum 2% cash back we get (Barclaycard Arrival+), the benefits and fraud protection are great. I've made over $1,000 in cash back so far this year. Although my wife gets cash tips at her job, I prefer she uses a credit card whenever she can instead of the cash. Easier to track on Mint.com and I like the cash back!