On the whole, I think credit cards are wonderful. Not perfect, but they make a lot of things easier.

Just imagine online shopping without credit cards. I’m inclined to doubt debit cards would have become so popular if it weren’t for the credit card. So picture having to send checks to order anything online. How much would that happen, really?

Of course, there are hazards to using credit cards online, but many of them have more to do with user vigilence. If you know how to protect your computer and know what to look for before ordering from an unfamiliar site, it’s a pretty safe process.

There’s a certain delight, of course, in getting some credit cards versus others. 0% on purchases is a lot of fun at the start, even if you have to watch what the rates will be after the introductory period. Getting cash back is nice too. Just a few features of credit cards that many a user can enjoy.

The biggest problem is probably the new aspects of money management that credit cards bring to life. You have to worry about owing too much. Payments getting out of control. It becomes easier to spend money you don’t have.

I can say from experience that the dangers are worst when money is tight. When you don’t have enough income to get by on your own, it is all too easy to rely on your credit cards to keep going at your current level rather than cutting back. It’s a serious trap that many people fall into. And digging back out is tough.

But all in all, I still love credit cards. They’re easy to use and give you protection you don’t get from cash.