In this day and age, plastic is the easiest way to pay for purchases. Plastic does not mean breaking out the poker chips from your last game or the fake money from Monopoly. In today’s world, plastic refers to using a card to easily complete the purchase.

Plastic refers to credit and debit cards, both a useful part of the purchasing process. Some people treat debit and credit cards the same way, never paying much attention to their usage. Debit and credit cards may both be plastic payment cards, but they are distinctly different.

Debit cards are linked to your bank account. When you use your debit card, the amount of the purchase is taken from your account balance. It is much like writing a check, which is why some debit cards are called “check cards”. You can deposit money into your bank account and use your debit card as if you are spending the cash. Once you have spent all of the cash in your account, unless you have overdraft protection, your purchase will be declined. Debit cards make it easy to keep track of your spending and avoid spending more than you have.

Credit cards operate on a line of credit. When you apply for and receive a credit card, you are given a line of credit. It is as if the issuer is loaning you their money. You can make purchases on this line of credit. This is not free money – you have to pay the balance off at some point. If you pay the balance within a certain period of time, you will avoid interest charges. If you pay only the minimum payment, you will end up paying a certain amount of interest back. With a credit card, it may be best to look into sites such as httpss://www.paxtonwillis.co.uk/, as there may be a chance that you have been mis-sold ppi. You just never know, so it is worth doing a bit of research into it, especially if you find that you have been paying large amounts for insurance.

In addition to having the flexibility of postponing your payments, with many credit cards you also have reward programs, and better protection than you do with debit cards. Some rewards offer gifts, cash back programs, or discounts on products, services or special events. Credit cards also provide added protection is someone steals your card or bank information. If you notice a fraudulent charge on your credit card account, you can call up the issuer, dispute the charge, and the charge should be removed from your balance. With debit cards, if a thief uses your card, it may take weeks for the bank to investigate and replace lost funds.

No matter which card you use or if you use both, always remember to spend wisely and protect your information in any situation.

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