<p>@busdriver11–hope he is enjoying living in NYC. He is probably better off living there w/o credit, but I would also have been concerned sending him off w/o a charge card. I got one for my HS Jr when he simply commuted into the city last summer. I don’t know why I thought he would need a charge card when he was less than an hour away, and he never used it once.</p>
<p>ATMs are literally on every corner, so obtaining cash is never a problem.</p>
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<p>Hope he hasn’t made any online purchases or if he has, that ATM card offers the same protections as a regular credit card. </p>
<p>IME, ATM/debit cards provide no protections against fraud/defective goods once the merchant has accepted the charge. </p>
<p>many banks charge service fees for atm withdrawls, especially if done at another bank… waste of money.</p>
<p>You can get some debit cards which reimburse you if you withdraw at other ATMs. Personally, our family enjoys the benefits and protections of CCs. </p>
<p>there are typically limits on how many transactions they’ll reimburse or a cap on the monthly dollar amount.</p>
<p>I think it’s working for him because he doesn’t spend much money, online or otherwise. Just restaurant charges here and there, and there is the option to use it as a credit card. I still feel better that he does carry our credit card in his wallet, but I’m glad he hasn’t had to use it.</p>
<p>I still wish he’d sign up for one of these credit cards with huge signing bonuses. Makes me feel like he’s throwing away money.</p>
<p>I still am in the camp of apply for a card and even if he isn’t using it. Get it and put it in a safe place. One day he might need it and he will be glad he has it.
My S has a credit card and rarely uses it. He uses his debit card everywhere and rarely carries cash. It works for him but when he wants to make a hotel reservation he is happy to have it.
My oldest on the other hand uses her CC everywhere. She also rarely has cash. She just applied for her 2nd card the Chase Freedom. Her other CC doesn’t provide any rewards.
Third child is still in college. She has her own CC but only uses it for expenses like books that we pay for. She uses debit for gas and groceries. She uses a lot of cash for everyday expenses since she does a lot of babysitting and gets paid cash.</p>
<p>Studies have shown that we do spend meow with CCards than when we pay cash. That said, we and S enjoy the bonuses, protections and convenience of CCards and dislike carrying large amounts of cash and never use ATMs. It has worked pretty well for us to date. </p>
<p>We gave our kids our AmEx card when they went off to college. It provided a lot of perks they wouldn’t otherwise have if they had their own cards. One other perk is that we were able to transfer our good credits to them. When D1 graduated from college, not ever had a CC in her name before, she was able to get a CC in her name with 20k+ credit limit. </p>
<p>I got my first.credit card at sixteen. Specifically for the convenience factor. Don’t have to pre pay gas in cash, all bills coming together at once, only writing once check a month, etc</p>
<p>At 18 they upped my limit and removed my mom from the card.</p>
<p>I never pay for things with my debit card… only use it to withdraw cash. I don’t trust people not to steal my number and wipe out my bank account.</p>
<p>I’ve had a CC since before I was 18 and I use it to pay for everything. It originally happened because my magnetic strip on my debit card kept bugging out and now it’s just habit. I feel more secure with it and enjoy the perks. I could definitely survive without it but I wouldn’t voluntarily choose that path. </p>
<p>My fiance still doesn’t have a CC (driving me up a wall!). I pay all of our bills and he just transfers money to me. </p>
<p>Neither of us ever carry cash. I don’t know too many people my age who carry cash. Even most vending machines and parking meters I encounter take CCs. </p>
<p>I still think he should get one even if he never uses it, but alas it doesn’t seem like your S is willing to do that. </p>
<p>Yep, he doesn’t seem willing. Though I do plan to ask (bug) him periodically. He does have a credit card with his name on it in his wallet (our account), for my comfort, though he never uses it. His bank does say that the ATM card has fraud protection, as long as he reports it within 60 days. I just thought he was going to need it, as I saw an expensive charge for google glass, which is not typical, but apparently it was intentional.</p>
<p>I think his card has all the protections and uses of a credit card, but now I think it comes down to giving away free money. Which drives me crazy, but what can I say, it seems to be working for him.</p>
<p>One difference between the protection from fraud on debit cards versus credit cards, as I understand it, is that while individual banks may provide protection for their debit cards, that protection is purely a matter of that bank’s policy and can be changed or eliminated at any time. Fraud protection on credit cards, on the other hand, is mandated by federal law.</p>
<p>Fraud protection yes… but with a bank account he’d out that money while they work on resolving it. on a credit card you haven’t actually paid for that fraud yet and it can be removed before you do. </p>
<p>I upgraded to a different card about ten years ago that gives cash back and other perks for purchases. I very rarely carry cash… most people in the younger generations don’t. </p>
<p>It also helps for your credit score in case he ever want to get loans or things like that.</p>
<p>If he gets one, make sure he understands You always want to pay it off in full and not carry a balance… you never want to buy something you can’t afford. If you think you can afford it in three months, sock the money away and but it then.</p>
<p>Am just curious about those who say they never carry any cash. Aren’t there times only cash will do? Like tipping - some places I go to do not let you put the tip on the credit card. And I have two service people who will only take cash - the cleaning lady and my personal trainer. </p>
<p>@teriwtt- I’ve never been to a place that only allows cash tips. I honestly can’t think of a time in the last several years where it’s been an issue
Most people can’t afford a cleaning lady or personal trainer so that’s moot for most 
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<p>Well, my college kids don’t have any service people they are paying in cash, lol. But I would like them to have credit cards for emergencies. Currently, one does. One doesn’t. I rarely use cash and have been carrying around the same 20-dollar bill now for over a month.</p>
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<p>Some businesses, including restaurants are cash only, even in large urban areas like NYC. </p>
<p>Many businesses which do accept credit cards will only do so with a set minimum. A few bars in NYC have set that minimum at $17 which equals 3-4 drinks of the popular beers…whether bottled or on tap. </p>
<p>Sometimes, offering cash can result in discounts from the merchant.</p>
<p>If a place didn’t accept a credit card, they wouldn’t get my business.
In the nearly 10 years since I’ve been paying for myself, it’s never been an issue. Guess I’ll just have to avoid NYC </p>
<p>I am in a hotel. Tip in cash. Same for shuttle to/from the airport parking, etc.</p>