Credit cards are handy and useful, so long as you can keep them under control. I use Gypsy's approach, which helps make up for the low interest rate my bank pays on savings. My dad has gone a step further with this: he has an account with an outfit that automatically pays off his credit card balance the day it's due, thus maximizing the "loan" without paying interest. But keeping credit cards under control is the trick, and many credit card companies charge not only interest but a late payment fee as well. It's also common for companies to chare two months interest on a one-month balance, so you have to be sure you always pay the balance on time. Between us, my wife and I get around 30 offers for credit cards every month, and this leads me to believe that there's lots of money to be made in this business.