Why Nearly Every Purchase Should Be on a Credit Card

Credit cards are convenient and secure, they help build credit, they make budgeting easier, and they earn rewards. And no, you don't have to go into debt, and you don't have to pay interest.

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Cash used to be king. People paid for everyday purchases with cash or with checks (which are functionally equivalent to cash), and they saved credit cards for big, infrequent purchases — If they had credit cards at all. Nowadays, credit cards are accepted almost everywhere, and some people never carry cash at all.

In general, NerdWallet recommends paying with a credit card whenever possible:

•          Credit cards are safer to carry than cash and offer stronger fraud protections than debit.

•          You can earn significant rewards without changing your spending habits.

•          It's easier to track your spending.

•          Responsible credit card use is one of the easiest and fastest ways to build credit.

Using credit cards does not mean going into debt. Spend money as you normally would, pay your balance in full every month, and you'll reap all the benefits of credit cards while never carrying debt or paying a penny in interest.