• bier@feddit.nl
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    9 months ago

    Why do you use credit cards in the first place? As a non American I never really understood that. Why doesn’t America just have the “normal” (from my perspective) bank cards that just let you use money from your bank account. Why do you need to borrow and pay back? It seems like such a weird system, not just weird also dangerous, where you can end up in debt.

    • el_abuelo@lemmy.ml
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      9 months ago

      Credit cards offer more fraud protection, at least where I live, while debit cards offer nothing much. I buy on credit and pay it off fully every month.

    • NotAFuckingBot@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      Agreed. Weird system, and dangerous for many. That’s why I only allow myself a very limited card, which is what I used to build my shitty credit back up.

    • duffman@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      American here. We have normal cards, they are called debit cards and are what most people use. Generizing a lot here, but credit cards are for people who were never financially educated, desperate poor people, or people who only use them to get plane miles or cash back.

      It’s absurd to me to put myself in debt for all but the most desperate of cases.

    • dyc3@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      Most good credit cards have some form cash back, as in they give you a little bit of the credit card processing fee they place on merchants. Credit card benefits vary from card to card.

      We use credit cards so much because it builds our credit score, which makes it significantly easier to take out loans for large purchases (eg car, house, etc) or rent an apartment.

      We do have “normal” cards, they’re called debit cards. You are right that it’s weird and bizarre and dangerous. You shouldn’t be using credit cards if you’re living paycheck to paycheck imo.