What method of commerce do you use on trips?

[Mike]

Just wondering how we pay for stuff, including gas and other vehicle essentials, versus all the other stuff like food and lodging and sundries? Pick the two options that most often describe your method of payment when travelling.

Just curious,
Mike.

[g1g]

I take advantage of the points

[renrut]

I don't pay for anything, my wife does . Actually, most of the time, we use Debit. That way we don't risk the chance of running the credit cards up too high. If it's a long trip, we will use the credit cards to gain point when buying gas but everything else is debit.

[Mike]

I'd say we're the same. Mostly plastic for gas and big item purchases,
but we might withdraw a bit of cash at an ATM for smaller item shopping.
With our buck chasing parity with the US dollar again, we were thinking
about grabbing some US greenbacks (cash) to keep under the mattress,
in case it drops again.
I suppose opening a US$ account would achieve the same end. I just don't
know if I need the hassle of ANOTHER bank account.

[pete]

I pay CASH. I hate using credit cards but I do have a couple for emergencies. Unfortunately I need to use a card for reservations and sometimes they run the card and I cannot pay cash. The great thing now is that ATMs are all over and I don't have to carry excessive amounts of cash.
Pete

[DaveR]

I always use AMEX if buying anything big or prepaying....purchased a cruise for my wife and myself two months before 911.....Cruise line went bankrupt.....AMEX ate it not me......

Plus I like the percentage back.

Often AMEX can't be used, then MasterCard comes out for those big purchases.....ok, so I use it for fuel too.

In any event, I NEVER buy anything on credit I can't pay off at the end of the month.

For smaller purchases, I use cash (groceries etc).....I have a good Credit Union that has reciprocal agreements with other CUs, so no fee at the ATM.