Begrudgingly entering the present and not not sure the best way - use dedicated credit card, or maybe adedicated bill paying account with debit card, other???
I don’t even know what I don’t know and need suggestions.
Debit card, that is usually empty-
Not only can noone steal from me, if I want to buy something online I have to load it first and then buy stuff, which gives me time to rethink if I REALLY want it.
Credit card. Your liability for fraudulent charges is limited to $50 if you report the charges within a certain time period.
If you use PayPal, link it to a unique account. Paypal will freeze the entire account if there’s any conflicted payment/delivery info.
Separate temporary card number for every bill with a limit at the amount of the bill, assuming your card issuer provides that ability. I have actually never used my real credit card number for my current card. Any charge on the real number and I know it’s fraud.
I use a debit card which is linked to my checking account. I only keep a certain amount of $$ that account at any given time, just enough to pay what’s coming up. I have a credit union and use their Bill Pay portal. I have all the payees lined up and I can pay any bill in seconds.
I just pay my bills through my bank’s online portal. I don’t do any auto-recurring credit card things because I don’t want to be caught off guard by an automated charge (I’M TALKING TO YOU SIRIUS RADIO). I will allow some bills to be paid monthly through my bank (e.g. rent or mortgage, though currently I have neither.) So a couple of times a month I go in and pop in the amount for my credit card payment and utilities, and that’s it. Done. No envelopes or stamps, and I have complete control.
I use a debt card only. I don’t have any credit cards. People say you “need them”, but everyone I know with a credit card that uses it regularly is in debt. The best way to be secure is to periodically check your account balance. I usually do this once a day or every other day.
[quote]Aero51 wrote:
I use a debt card only. I don’t have any credit cards. People say you “need them”, but everyone I know with a credit card that uses it regularly is in debt. The best way to be secure is to periodically check your account balance. I usually do this once a day or every other day. [/quote]
I use mine for everything and pay it off in full each month.
The best way to stay out of debt and achieve financial security is to spend less than you make.
I’ve been trying to chill out lately, so I’ve found that the best way to pay bills online is to take it very slowly and under control. First, make eye contact with your browser. This tells your browser that you care about it and it isn’t just a thing or a commoner. This shows you are very high value and it should want to like you and get to know you.
Next, type your account number very slowly. If you type fast, you will show that you are nervous and might make a mistake. I do this so the browser sees my high status and remembers me for the next time I visit my portal.
Also, make sure you do not say thank you when you hit Enter or Submit for your payment. People do this all the time and it shows you are low status. Why would you thank someone when you give it something? Always wait for the confirmation screen and only then should you thank your browser. If a confirmation email comes to your inbox shortly after that, it is OK to say thank you again, but wait at least 5-10 hours so that your browser does not sense any urgency on your part.
I’ve been using these tricks to demonstrate my high value, high status to all of my online accounts. I hope they work for you, too.
[quote]EmilyQ wrote:
[quote]Aero51 wrote:
I use a debt card only. I don’t have any credit cards. People say you “need them”, but everyone I know with a credit card that uses it regularly is in debt. The best way to be secure is to periodically check your account balance. I usually do this once a day or every other day. [/quote]
I use mine for everything and pay it off in full each month.
The best way to stay out of debt and achieve financial security is to spend less than you make. [/quote]
True, Id also like to add don’t spend money that doesn’t exist (loans, credit cards, etc), but it is so hard to adhere 100% to that today.
[quote]EmilyQ wrote:
I use mine for everything and pay it off in full each month.
[/quote]
This, coupled with Discover’s “cash back” it works very well.
[quote]JLD2k3 wrote:
I’ve been trying to chill out lately, so I’ve found that the best way to pay bills online is to take it very slowly and under control. First, make eye contact with your browser. This tells your browser that you care about it and it isn’t just a thing or a commoner. This shows you are very high value and it should want to like you and get to know you.
Next, type your account number very slowly. If you type fast, you will show that you are nervous and might make a mistake. I do this so the browser sees my high status and remembers me for the next time I visit my portal.
Also, make sure you do not say thank you when you hit Enter or Submit for your payment. People do this all the time and it shows you are low status. Why would you thank someone when you give it something? Always wait for the confirmation screen and only then should you thank your browser. If a confirmation email comes to your inbox shortly after that, it is OK to say thank you again, but wait at least 5-10 hours so that your browser does not sense any urgency on your part.
I’ve been using these tricks to demonstrate my high value, high status to all of my online accounts. I hope they work for you, too.[/quote]
[quote]countingbeans wrote:
[quote]EmilyQ wrote:
I use mine for everything and pay it off in full each month.
[/quote]
This, coupled with Discover’s “cash back” it works very well. [/quote]
For the most part, any type of “rewards” program works well. My wife and I do this with our CC and when we accumulate enough points we get a gift card … usually $100 to Lowe’s. Great for homeowners. We also have the option to apply our points balance towards our bill - but we’ve always opted for the Lowe’s card.
[quote]JLD2k3 wrote:
I’ve been trying to chill out lately, [/quote]
Nicely done
[quote]polo77j wrote:
[quote]countingbeans wrote:
[quote]EmilyQ wrote:
I use mine for everything and pay it off in full each month.
[/quote]
This, coupled with Discover’s “cash back” it works very well. [/quote]
For the most part, any type of “rewards” program works well. My wife and I do this with our CC and when we accumulate enough points we get a gift card … usually $100 to Lowe’s. Great for homeowners. We also have the option to apply our points balance towards our bill - but we’ve always opted for the Lowe’s card.[/quote]
Lately I’ve been buying a bunch of reloading shit on Amazon with mine, lol.
A contractor buddy of mine introduced me to the idea buying gift cards from Kroger for the gas points. He buys homedepot cards for his subcontractors for supplies and the points go towards his gas points. Hauls around a huge ass trailer and never has to pay for gas.
[quote]countingbeans wrote:
[quote]EmilyQ wrote:
I use mine for everything and pay it off in full each month.
[/quote]
This, coupled with Discover’s “cash back” it works very well. [/quote]
My rewards program allows for cash back, too, and it’s a Visa. Hockey and I have a joint Amex that gives double points for certain things - maybe gas, groceries, and one other thing. Eating out, maybe? That’s a nice card for young adults starting out, because food and gas is a big part of their budget. Whereas lately Home Depot is my big cash drop arena.
Anyway, I use the cash back at Christmastime to pay off the gifts.
[quote]orion wrote:
Debit card, that is usually empty-
Not only can noone steal from me, if I want to buy something online I have to load it first and then buy stuff, which gives me time to rethink if I REALLY want it. [/quote]
Not bad, but I usually don’t have to think about paying my snergy bill every month.
And a debit card can’t beat the 2% cash back that I get on every purchase. Plus the buffer that is a credit card in case fraud happens.
Also, people getting into debt with credit cards has little to do with the card and more to do with the person.
[quote]Aero51 wrote:
[quote]EmilyQ wrote:
[quote]Aero51 wrote:
I use a debt card only. I don’t have any credit cards. People say you “need them”, but everyone I know with a credit card that uses it regularly is in debt. The best way to be secure is to periodically check your account balance. I usually do this once a day or every other day. [/quote]
I use mine for everything and pay it off in full each month.
The best way to stay out of debt and achieve financial security is to spend less than you make. [/quote]
True, Id also like to add don’t spend money that doesn’t exist (loans, credit cards, etc), but it is so hard to adhere 100% to that today.
[/quote]
Hard to adhere to today, yesterday, tomorrow. But if you don’t adhere to it you’ll accumulate debt, which will then start accumulating more debt. As difficult as it is to manage money wisely, it’s really just that simple.