Friday, May 29, 2009

Knowing your debit card.

By Brian Jefferson

It is safe to say that when the first ATMs were installed in the 1960s (although a patent was filed in the 1930s) it slowly transformed how customers interacted with their banks, and more specifically with their bank account. The increasing use of the debit card (as well as the credit card) and how it has changed the way in which we can send and receive money have been vital parts of late twentieth century culture.

It is a sign of how much banking has changed just how many financial transactions are now from debit cards or credit cards, rather than by cash or by personal check. They have become such a regular part of sending or receiving money by individuals and organisations that it is hard to remember that in relative banking terms they are not that old, and that ATM machines did not begin to become popular until the late 1960s.

Of course, the rise of the internet and of online shopping has played a large part in the rise in the past few years of debit cards and credit cards, making significantly easier and quicker, purchases that would have taken a good few days longer not that many years before, leading to a fall in the use of checks.

Retail shopping has been another area where debit cards and credit cards have grown exponentially " negating the need for carrying around much cash, just like cheques, but unlike cheques much easier and quicker when it comes to completely the transaction, especially with modern chip n pin technologies. The card user however does just need to be aware of small retailers who may not allow debit or credit card use for small transactions.

Passing money onto a friend or relative now is often as simple as bringing them with you to an ATM, withdrawing the cash and giving to them, without the delay or cashing or banking checks.

Withdrawals from ATMs however are one area where the user of a debit card or credit card must be careful of course, as there may be transaction fees involved, and keeping track of these fees is an important part of debit card and account management in order to avoid going overdrawn without knowing it.

In the vast majority of cases, getting a debit card is as simple as opening a qualifying bank account. Accounts which do not grant a debit card are an increasingly small percentage of bank accounts as a whole, and the advantage of a debit card over a credit card is that it only allows you to spend the money you actually have in the account in the first place.

It is important though to keep track of your finances. Know what the fees charged by your bank are and what they charge them for.

With the correct use of your debit card, you will find that managing your money and sending and receiving money is much easier than it will have previously been, either in your retail shopping or through an ATM.

There are times when credit card may be a better option than a debit card, particularly in terms of payment protection, but in the vast majority of cases and with careful considered use, a debit card is not only more than adequate, but a vital tool in modern financial management and the ability to send money and receive money.

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