cash - less

i'm on a roll! 3 postings in one night! i'm just trying to fill out the many months i should have posted....

i do not bring cash, as in paper money/coins, anymore. any thief or pickpocket would be disappointed to find out that what i have in my wallet are only useless coupons and old receipts. and of course, my ever-reliable debit card. (which i could cancel with a phone call, just in case)

before coming here to live and work in the UK, the only card i know that's being used as payment is the credit card. i really don't like using credit cards, i only use them if and only if, i know i can pay for them. well, it's like you have money in your bank but you don't want to spend them yet because you want to maintain your average daily balance...so you plan your spending and pay for it when it's more convenient for you...

so back to my debit card. i love it! you just put in an x amount of money on it and you could literally use it to pay anything! it's like an electronic cash card. well, it is, actually. i really got excited when we first ate in a local restaurant, asked for the bill, showed our card, and then the waiter got a wireless card reader and placed it in our table. you could even split the bill and just punch in how much you'll be paying! even the tip!

so what's the diff between the credit vs debit card? i guess credit cards are essentially used for purchases that could eat most of your savings or for unscheduled expenses, a debit card is used for everyday small expenses without the hassle of finding a way to spend that last coin, without acquiring more. (it helps to keep the wallet flat and light.)