John in Kansas - I can sympathise! I would pay my credit card by cheque, the money was taken from my account but credited to someone else's credit card account because the BANK made a mistake when entering the account number. I proved to them that the money was being taken from my account but it wasn't being paid to the credit card. They eventually paid up some, but it cost me a couple of hundred in late fees over the year. Whilst double checking my statements, I found that they sent me at least 3 bills the day AFTER they were due....

I don't have a credit card now, and never intend to again. I don't have storecards for the same reason. I do have internet access to my bank details but I never use it because it can't do the things I want it to, like set up a direct debit.

My father always said that if you can't pay cash on the nail for it, you can't afford it. Sometimes I think he had the right idea. We may have been poor growing up, but we were never in debt.

LTS