I got my first credit card when I was 16 years old… yes, 16.
It was my parent’s idea, and of course, since I was only 16, they had to put their names on the card too.
The card was for emergencies, or for purchases that were approved by them ahead of time — however, in the mean time, I was building my credit score from a VERY early age (which was extremely helpful later on in life).
I got my own credit card at 18 (when I went off to college) and although my parent’s names were not on the card anymore, I had 2 years of credit card experience under my belt, so it really wasn’t anything new or “tempting” for me. I understood how to use a credit card, I didn’t buy anything I couldn’t afford, my bills were usually less than $30 a month, and I paid them off in full at the end of each month.
Fast-forward 14+ years and I’m still using credit cards for almost every single thing I buy. I still don’t buy anything we can’t afford, I still pay the bill in full at the end of the month, but unfortunately, the bills are more than $30 a month 🙂
I know, I know…there are lots of people who are anti-credit cards (I do honestly understand why).
It’s not popular to talk about using credit cards these days; it’s more popular to pay cash for everything, use the envelope method, follow Dave Ramsey, be financially responsible, and be debt-free… and YES, those are all good things!
However, from my own personal experience, I know for a fact it’s also possible to be financially responsible and debt-free using credit cards.
Credit cards are not “good” or “bad”; they are just a tool that can be used to do good or do bad.
I definitely don’t think credit cards are the best financial decision for everyone — nor do I think using a cash-only budget is the best financial decision for everyone either.
That said, here are just a few of the ways credit cards majorly simplify Dave and my life.
1. We don’t need to record every payment right away.
I realize many of you who use cash, debit cards, and/or checks probably don’t record your payments right away either — but I couldn’t do that! Specifically, if I was writing a check or using a debit card, I would feel like I needed to record that payment immediately in my bank register and my Finance-Tracking Workbook to ensure my account was balanced at all times.
Maybe that’s my own craziness, but it’s one HUGE reason we choose to use credit cards for almost everything. All I need to do is scan over my eStatement at the end of the month and I can instantly record all my transactions at one time.
2. We don’t need to carry cash.
I hate carrying cash. I’m really not sure why — but I do! I don’t like the bulkiness in my wallet, I don’t like to risk losing it, I don’t like jingling change, etc. etc. etc.
Besides Craigslist purchases, I use credit card or PayPal for almost everything!
3. We don’t need to go into gas stations.
With as many as 4 children in the car, there is no way I’m going into the gas station.
Yes, I realize I could pay at the pump with a debit card… but you know how I feel about debit cards (see #1 above!)
4. We can pounce on a great deal when we see one.
There have been times when we have been on the look-out for a particular item and all of a sudden, we find it for an amazing deal. Sometimes that item is pricy — and since we don’t usually keep tons of excess cash in our checking account (thanks to basically 0% interest), we might not be able to buy it if we only shopped with cash, check, or debit card.
With a credit card, we can capitalize on that great deal immediately, and then make sure the money is in our checking account before it’s time to pay the credit card bill at the end of the month.
Oh, and in case this sounds like Dave and I are crazy impulse shoppers, let me just assure you WE ARE NOT!!
If you were to hack into our credit card account and look at our monthly bills, you most likely won’t find many other transactions besides gas, groceries, and home utility bills. If/when we go out to eat, we almost always use gift cards, and if we buy clothes, it’s usually from a place like Swap.com, ThredUp.com or with gift cards we’ve gotten for Christmas or birthdays.
5. We only need to pay one bill at the end of the month.
This point kind of ties in with #1 — but I can’t tell you how much simpler our finances feel when we know we only have ONE bill to pay every month.
We currently only have one credit card for personal use (I have another one for my business) and every single monthly expense we have goes to that personal credit card. Then our credit card balance is deducted, in full, from our checking account at the end of the month.
We never need to worry about missing a payment, forgetting to write a check, forgetting to authorize a debit card transaction, forgetting to balance our bank account and ending up over-drawn, etc. etc.
For me, this is one of the top reasons we stick with credit cards — because it’s just SO simple!
6. We don’t have money tied up until it’s actually time to pay the bill.
Have you ever tried to rent a car, make a hotel reservation, or reserve any type of tickets with a debit card? If so, you’ve probably noticed that the full amount for the rental or reservation is withdrawn from your bank account immediately. That means, if you book a hotel and rental car 6 months in advance, you are out that cash for the full 6 months before you even take your vacation.
For some people, I can TOTALLY see why this would be a positive thing (your vacation is paid for before you go!). However, for me, I know I would never take any sort of vacation I couldn’t afford to pay cash for — so I’d personally rather put all those reservations on my credit card, and wait to pay for the trip until a full month after we get back. Meanwhile, the money is mine to use as I please — or get get a whopping 1% interest sitting in our savings account 🙂
7. We get rewards, special discounts, cash back, etc.
I suppose this is kind of a given — it’s one of the main perks of using a credit card these days. Of course, the reason companies can afford to give cash back is because of ALLLLLLLLLL the people who pay interest on their credit card balances every year.
However, if you pay off your bills in full every month, these rewards and cash back really are “free money”.
Not only do we get a percentage back on everything we buy, we also get special coupons and discount rates all year long — which definitely add up over time.
8. We have amazing credit scores.
Since both Dave and I have been using credit cards responsibly for many years, we both have excellent (almost perfect) credit scores. And although we hope to never need to borrow money again, our really good credit scores came in handy when it was time for us to get our mortgage.
Not only did these scores help us to get a loan in one of the worst economic times our area had seen in a LONG time, it also helped us to qualify for an insanely low interest rate (2. 4%) which saved us thousands of dollars on interest, and was one of the biggest reasons we were able to pay off our mortgage so quickly.
9. We don’t need to carry cash!
Did I mention this already?? 🙂
In case you can’t tell, I HATE carrying cash around. Even though I do a lot of Craigslist shopping, I usually just keep the cash at home or quickly swing by the bank on my way to make a purchase. I don’t like carrying it in my wallet.
Now again, I want to reiterate that I have absolutely NOTHING against anyone who doesn’t feel comfortable using credit cards and would rather use cash or debit cards to pay for everything.
And I don’t have anything against Dave Ramsey either. In fact, Dave (Dekker) used the Dave Ramsey curriculum to teach a Personal Finance class for a couple years… and we both know several people who have completely transformed their finances and their lives thanks to the Dave Ramsey classes and cash-only system. So obviously, cash-only systems work too!
I just think it’s important to see both sides.
There is nothing evil or bad or sinful or irresponsible about using credit cards IF you use them wisely and only buy things you have the money to pay for.
I realize that Dave and I were both brought up in families who gravitate more towards the conservative side of the spectrum — and I’m thankful we were both taught sound financial lessons from a very young age. Without those early money-management lessons, we might not be in the same situation we are today.
Jenn says
Hi Andrea- love this “other” perspective. I think it’s going to become more and more relevant as cyber crimes increase as well. I’m curious, do you and Dave meet during the month to see how you’re tracking against certain categories, or do you just wait and revisit at month end?
Andrea says
you think credit cards will become more popular because of cyber crimes? Is that because it’s easier to track purchases and because some offer insurance on fraud purchases? I have a feeling debit cards probably come with the same types of protections — but I do feel like using a card of some sort is better than using cash or checks!
Also, regarding your question about Dave and I meeting to discuss — I’ll be honest, we don’t! It’s usually me just telling Dave what’s going on because right now, we essentially spends nothing every month! He gets gas once or twice a month and sometimes stops to pick up a few groceries for me, otherwise I’m the sole spender in our family 🙂
Thankfully, I’m very conscious about what I spend and am always trying to get a good deal or do without to save more. And thankfully, Dave trusts my judgement and decisions. I know this method wouldn’t work for every couple, but it works well for us for now!
Jenn says
Re: the cyber crime, I more meant that if someone gets your card information and it’s a debit card, they could drain your checking account vs. the fact that they wouldn’t be able to do that with a credit card. Obviously you’d get that money back, but it wouldn’t be instant.
So interesting to read all the comments on this post- people have very strong opinions about this!
Andrea says
ah yes — I understand. I know my sister had an issue a few years ago but her credit card company got her money back ASAP.
Pixie508 says
Andrea – my husband teases me that I spend all of our money (because other than an tank of gas, and a few lunches out, I buy everything for our household)
To the cybercrime issue – we’ve had 2 of our cards hacked. Most recently in the spring, and the credit card company sent me an email about a suspicious charge and asked me to login to the app/website. They froze the card, refunded the charge, and immediately sent out new cards. This is one reason we don’t keep just one card. If one gets shut off, we have another option, or we can use our debit card. The credit card companies we have have been great to work with on the occasional issue, so I honestly don’t let it bother me. Usually they just get ahold of your number (through a skimmer or hacking), so they don’t have your personal info. And, we check our free credit reports at least twice a year to monitor that as well.
Andrea says
I actually DO feel safer using credit cards versus debit or cash — for the exact reasons you mentioned!
Chris Macdonnell says
Andrea,
You have some really great and inspiring ideas. I tend to focus on the blog posts concerning managing the household, such as budgeting, bill paying and such. I was wondering, since you pay most or all of you bills online, how do you keep track of all the user Id’s and passwords. Do you have a simple solution? Another question I have concerns e-mail accounts. Do you have more than one set up for different types of e-mail?
I took your idea and I’ve set up e-mail files to keep track of bills, paid receipts, and statements. It’s been great not having the paper problems. and they are easy to locate if needed.
Sincerely,
Chris Macdonnell
Andrea says
Thanks Chris,
I use this password worksheet to organize all our passwords. As for emails, I just have all the emails go to one account — it’s easier that way.
Andy says
Maybe you answered this already but how do you know your not overspending throughout the month if you enter your transaction in when your statement comes?
Andrea says
I still enter my transactions in the day I spend the money, I just don’t need to actually pay for them until the credit card bill comes.
Also, after 9 years of marriage, our credit card bills are almost always within a couple hundred bucks of each other every month (we must buy the same things every month) so we know roughly how much our bill will be each month and we always have plenty to cover that in our checking account (as the bill is automatically withdrawn every month).
I guess we just have a good system going that works for us — but I can totally see how it wouldn’t work for everyone.
Ruth Ehresman says
I grew up somewhat anti-credit card, my husband did not and we got married before debit cards were super popular. So I compromised and we actually do have a credit card and our debit card. We use the credit card for everything because of the rewards. We pay it off every month, but I think I do spend a little more because I’m not handing over the actual cash every time. So I need to work on disciplining myself better on that! I will say I have a friend who is debit card only, and I’m not against that! I honestly think it is great. However, there have been a couple times she needed to register for a big dollar conference for her work and it was way above her daily debit card limit. So she borrowed our credit card, wrote us a check, and we got the free reward points on our credit card. Yes, you can have debit card limits raised, but isn’t that a little scary to use a card number linked to your bank account out there for anyone to steal? I would rather dispute charges on a credit card and have my money still in my account, then have little or no money left and be waiting for weeks or months for a dispute form to go through my bank so I could get my own money back. My point is, for those of you going Debit card only you may want to think about having 2 bank accounts one to tie your debit card too and one to keep the rest of your money in just for protection.
One other thing, I know a really awesome computer guy, who has a budgeting website: https://neobudget.com It ties in well with the envelope system of budgeting (only electronic envelopes) and he even lets you use a free version so you don’t have to pay to find out if you like it. Anyway, I hope it isn’t wrong to share the link in here. If so I apologize! I just thought that with talking about finances and budgets someone might find it relevant.
Andrea says
Thanks Ruth — for your input and the link (looks like a cool site!)
I agree, that’s the ONE thing about debit cards that actually worries me — because the cash is liquid. I was once “double charged” for a $2000 payment (hello, HUGE mistake). If that would have been on a debit card, it would have been a much bigger problem than it was on my credit card. The whole issue was resolved and the payment credited before my bill was due — so no harm to me!
Christy says
I love your point of view about using credit cards for everything! I am always looking for ways to simplify my life. And I love the cash back bonuses!
I have a question about tithing? How do you tithe to your church without using a check or cash?
Thanks for all your blogs! I love reading them!
Andrea says
Thanks Christy,
For our church, we used to be able to do it with credit card, but now we can’t. So we just write one large check each year instead of small weekly ones. I can handle one check a year 🙂
Christy says
thank you Andrea! I will see if my church will take credit cards. If not, maybe I will write one large check, like you.
Thanks and God bless you!
Char says
We do the same for all the same reasons and we might have just found out one more this week. We had finally broke down and bought a new TV with cash we’d saved from Christmas. 5 days into owning it, my husband (who’s always super careful) accidentally knocked it down and the screen broke. Of course, we thought we’d just lost out as he called in and that’s not covered. He was so down on himself. Anyhow we were talking to a friend and she asked if we’d bought it with a credit card. We had and she told us to call the credit card company and see what they said. They told us items that break, are stolen, etc. within 90 days of purchase are covered. We have to fill out some paperwork they are sending us and we don’t yet know exactly what “covered” truly means, but anything will be better than nothing. We’ve never really had something like this happen, so I’m anxious to see what happens. Does anyone else have any experience with this?
Also, in the rare instance that I lose a receipt and need to return an item, because I’ve used a credit card, most stores just look it up for me, no receipt needed. A true lifesaver at times!
Andrea says
Thanks for sharing Char — sorry to hear about the TV (that’s a huge bummer) but I too know people who have gotten something covered because of insurance via their credit card!
Also, I can’t believe I didn’t think of the whole receipt benefit. I have lost a couple receipts in my life and they’ve always just been able to look it up via my credit card!
Char says
Just wanted to update on our TV situation. After filling out some paperwork, sending a receipt from the TV and a picture, our credit card reimbursed us for the full amount! WOW! Hope we never have to use that “feature” again, but it saved us! We would’ve been out the money otherwise! Another great reason to use credit cards as long as you’re doing it wisely! 🙂
Andrea says
wow — that’s awesome! Thanks for the update!
Brenda says
I will state ahead of time my bias against credit cards. 🙂 Andrea, I’m thinking you are the exception to the rule though I appreciate that you aren’t telling others to do it your way. You are gracious like that. 🙂
My husband and I used to do it your way. We used our one credit card for many purchases and always paid it off every month. We eventually decided to switch to a debit card and learned something important in the process. Even though we paid our credit card every month and never paid interest, we were functioning a month behind. We were assuming that hubby’s job was secure enough that next month’s paycheck was guaranteed and would be enough to pay the credit card. Yes, we had savings—we always have. But we our savings account would have taken a large immediate hit if hubby would have lost his job because that month’s credit card debt was waiting for us.
One huge issue people often don’t factor into using credit cards, even when using them “wisely”, is that factor of risk. We assume we’ll be able to pay the bill, assume that it will all pan out. But life happens, jobs are lost, etc. I’m not willing to add to life the risk of a far-off bill that I hope I’ll be able to pay. And I remember the few times that I forgot to pay the credit card bill and got hit with fees that were really high. I would have avoided that if I had used a debit card wisely.
Part of the reason Dave Ramsey is against credit cards is he has spent years helping people deal with the credit card bills they were unable to pay. The credit industry is not kind to those who find themselves in dire straights and not able to find the cash to pay them off. And statistically–though it sounds like you are an exception–people spend more when they use a credit card than when they use cash.
I know there are pros and cons to each system and I’m glad you have found a system that works for you. 🙂
Cyndi Meyers says
My husband and I do the same thing. It simplifies our lives and allows us some play for the months where an out of the box purchase is needed. We pay the bill every month and get cash back to our mortgage each month with the bill!
Gina, a book dragon says
I got my first credit card while in high school. It was for a department store and had a $60 limit on it. I feel credit cards are bad IF you don’t keep track of your spending and/or over use them. Same can be said for debit cards. If you don’t keep track of the cash in your account you’ll be short when you need it.
Megan says
I am exactly the same way you are. I use cards for almost everything and pay them in full every month. The only debt I carry is my mortgage.
I have family members who went bankrupt and/or had homes foreclosed upon. It’s partly because of those people that my mom made sure I learned how to use credit wisely from day 1.
The one thing I did do a few years ago was switch my household bills (cable, electric, phone) from my card to auto-pay from my checking account. That just makes it easier for me to see how much I’m spending on non-essentials, which I’ll admit can get a little too high once in a while (never more than I can pay for in full, but still more than I want to spend. ). I put groceries and gas on the card but it’s pretty easy to treat those as separate categories and still see how much the rest adds up to.
Liane says
Yes, Megan, that is why we switched from charging to card versus using ACH instead plus the other advantage is that if a card expires the charge won’t go through, although usually the company will email you, and then your budget gets scrambles, you have late charges and all the attendant hassle. The auto pull from checking never ends. I have heard horror stories about crazy stuff like 20,000 dollar water bills yikes but if you deal with a good national bank like Chase or Wells Fargo they won’t pay it and will call you. In 30 years of having my phone, water & sewer, satellite, internet, auto insurance, newspaper, gas & electric and garbage done via electronic check I have never been over charged. I think the secret is to pop into your online banking site as part of your daily check list. You cannot be complacent and just assume it’s all okay.
Marianne says
We use primarily one credit card and pay off the balance automatically every month. We are debt free with a house paid off, college taken care of for our children, and getting ready for retirement. We made saving money a game or a challenge. This site provides valuable financial information and choices that readers can sort through and find a combination that works the best for them!
The only difference is that I carry money around in case of an emergency and when the wallet gets too thick, I save the currency and the coins. Thanks for all the great tips.
Liane says
Wow you poked the sleeping bear on this. Nothing like a discussion of debt to rile up a bunch of Christian ladies. Because debt is the ugly operative word here. Credit can be used without paying a cent in interest or becoming beholden to the ole money lender LOL.
Sometimes I really see my friends struggle with their beliefs and trying to make their values fit into what is fast becoming a cashless world. There is like in a things the middle ground and moderation.
I too refuse to do business with cash only people. For all I know I am aiding and abetting tax evasion. I was paying my daughter cash tips for half my haircut and using my card for the rest until she told me she would give me the services for free if I paid her student loan payment. No more late payments or trips to the ATM in scary places.
I am a follower of Dave Ramsey to a point but I refuse to carry several hundred dollars into a grocery store past a gaggle of homeless folks following me around with squeegees and offers to clean my windows. I cannot pay the 20 one so monthly bills I pay with cash. I do direct withdrawals because I have learned to pay with last months earnings. I have managed to save 10,000 by faithfully putting every leftover cent into savings the last day of every pay period. We get paid every other week not twice a month. That means some months (2 of them to be exact) we get an extra paycheck and I used that to pay off our house in record time. Amazing what an extra several thousand does to a mortgage. I am not sure if I learned that directly from the financial freedom class or if it was shared by another class goer. But it works miracles.
So the debt we do have is for our motorhome which we bought 2 years ago. It is used, 10 years old and cost us exactly the same as our house did in 1978.
So what about those awful things that rear up like horrifc insurance deductibles (1000 a year),
or vehicle registration in California which can be several hundred dollars per vehicle. Or car insurance or home owners and the horriblest of all, coming up with over 2000 within 2 months for property taxes?
For that I use mvelopes to keep track of what part of savings is set aside and what part is buffer. We love it. Like excel only better.
More reasons for cards vs cash. If you use a card your purchase is guaranteed. If it breaks you can dispute the charge.
Tax returns. Try proving to the irs you paid your dentist in cash.
Rewards. We do not pay interest, but we do fly to Europe every year on mileage. The only expense we never paid with a card was our house payments and that is because it’s not legal to do so.
Cards vs debit cards – ACH withdrawals from checking are great for phone bills, gas, water, electricity, sewer, basic cable and Internet. Those are not things you return. You use them and then pay usually after the fact since they cannot bill you till they know how much.
Cards work better for huge home improvement projects since you must have proof of capital improvement expenses when you sell.
What I do not have in my home are paper checks. Not even a printer. If I get a bill say from the dentist, I call and give my card info over the phone.
And at the end of the billing cycle I pay the balance in full. Not the due amount on the statement, but the actual total amount of money I owe. I use online banking to make the payment and it is instant. Each card goes to zero the day I get the email saying my statement is available. In the week it takes for the statement to arrive a lot of things could be charged, so I make sure I go to the site and get the actual balance.
I know that for some people a credit card is akin to a can of Pringles. We don’t buy those because I would and have eaten every last one. I have no willpower when it comes to junk food. So I do not buy it and it is not a problem. But when it comes to money I am OCD and pay bills the minute they arrive. And use my cards responsibly.
Andrea says
haha — yes Liane 🙂
Thanks for your thoughts and sharing what works for you!
Melissa says
I love this part of your comment!
“I know that for some people a credit card is akin to a can of Pringles. We don’t buy those because I would and have eaten every last one. I have no willpower when it comes to junk food. So I do not buy it and it is not a problem. But when it comes to money I am OCD and pay bills the minute they arrive.”
I am OCD with bills and money also, but do NOT leave a bag of chips near me! Thank you for the inspiration, I’m going to work on getting us to use the cards for bills and accumlate those points/cashback and get us using the CC to our advantage.
Andrea says
yes, I agree with both of you (as I just eat a peanut butter cookie) I could do a lot more damage with junk food than I could with a credit card 🙂
JoDi says
I totally agree! Credit cards are an excellent tool when used correctly. We use ours the same way you use yours and love the rewards. I just cashed in a bunch of rewards for a $560 credit on our bill this morning. (How’s that for perfect timing with your post? LOL)
We pay our balance in full each month, and I have a budget broken down by category. Using literal envelopes never worked well for us. I tried it years ago for a short while and it was just a hassle. Using the credit card to pay for things works very well with an “envelope” style budget. I have a budget spreadsheet that I enter transactions in weekly to keep track of how much is left in each “envelope” throughout the month. It doesn’t take long at all.
Ann says
Some of it is about knowing yourself. I go through cash like water but am a much more careful spender if I am going to pull out a card!
Andrea says
yes, exactly! I too have found that I will actually spend cash faster than using credit… especially if I have smaller bills!
Jenny says
Credit cards also frequently offer additional protection outside of rewards. Fraud has been mentioned, many also have car rental insurance, some have price protection (where if they cost of an item drops w/in a set period of time you can get a refund for the difference), extend the manufacture’s warranty, or if you have an issue with a merchant/product and they won’t give you a refund you can do a chargeback. Over the holidays I bought a sound bar from Best Buy, this was brand new and when I got it home it was missing all of the cords. Best Buy told me I would have to deal with the manufacture, I told them that I would be contacting my credit card company to do a charge back and wouldn’t you know it, they were happy to exchange it for me. I was able to bring back to old one and get a new one.
Also, if you are paying for something and then getting reimbursed for it (like if you have to buy anything for work) you can charge it, file for reimbursement and then potentially be reimbursed before the credit card bill is due.
In the end people who have issues with debt probably should be around credit cards, just like alcoholics shouldn’t hang out in bars. But for those without issues then they are a useful tool.
Andrea says
wow — that’s crazy how quick the store was to return your item once you mentioned your credit card. My sister actually had a similar situation a couple years back… and her credit card company did actually hold the charges until the store gave her a replacement.
Ann says
Admittedly, we have more than one credit card. Part of that is because we had one that gave us cash back, one for deals at a local store, and one that we could use out of the country without extra fees. Just wondering if your one card is a Meijer card and, if so, how do you get cash back and deals from it?
Andrea says
Yes Ann, we use the Meijer Master Card — it’s the platinum one (i know there are different kinds with different rewards). Ours gives us $0.05 off every gallon of gas, plus we get coupons to use on groceries, plus we get 1% cash back that goes directly to Dave’s school for future Christian school tuition. I forget how we set that up (it was YEARS ago) so not sure if it’s still an option anymore, but we have a nice chunk set aside for tuition already thanks to our credit card.
Ann says
WOW! I feel like we have had a Meijer card since they came out but I have never seen an option for cash back! We would have canceled our other cash back card in a minute if we had known we would have been able to have that option on our Meijer card!
ShellyL says
That’s amazing that you can use it for tuition. I’ve never heard of that. No wonder you put so much of your spending on the card. Smart.
Sarah says
What card do you use?
Andrea says
It’s a Meijer Platinum Master Card — Meijer is a local grocery store in our area and the rewards fit really well with our spending habits.
Andrea says
I didn’t read this as one of your reasons, but is there also *peace of mind knowing you have the cash in the bank and groceries/gas is replenished but you haven’t had to quite yet “part” with the actual cash !, and if an emergency or something else came up you DO have that money readily-available also?
Just wondering if this is also your line of reasoning; kind of like an additional safety-net because you are so responsible, it affords you to not immediately part with that actual cash.
Awesome post! Love your insights!
Andrea says
Hi Andrea (love the name!)
OK, so I’m not 100% sure I’m reading your comment the right way. Are you ASKING me if we do have the money in the bank to pay the bill and pay for any emergencies?? Or are you saying that the fact that we do have the money in the bank anyway makes using credit cards that much easier?
Right now, Dave and I try to keep at least 9 months worth of living expenses in liquid cash in our savings account. We also have other assets and investments that we could access in case of a bad emergency — but it would take a couple days to get to that money.
So yes, one of the perks of using a credit card is that our money stays in our bank account for the full month and then we simply pay one bill at the end of the month. I think I kind of mentioned this under point #6 — but I guess I didn’t say it exactly how you worded it.
Does this answer your question?
Andrea says
Yes, I meant it as there is more peace of mind using the card when you have a lot of cash reserves set aside.
My comment came across confusing I guess. Too wordy, sorrry.
Thank you for sharing with others that organized living means you can use credit too, as you’re on top of everything; and others can strive for the same.
You are inspiring!
Diana P says
We are 5 years post the Dave Ramsey method and I can’t say enough good about it! However we have one credit card we use for things like internet purchases, car rentals as you mention, etc. Sadly in this world it’s almost a necessity – if only for the protections against fraud, etc. The exception if is someone has gotten in trouble in the past with CC’s, or is working on gettting debt free and “gazelle intense” on working their plan. Then Cash is King! I also think there are MANY temptations that come along with CC’s so if someone has any worry they will “fall off the wagon” don’t even open the door! Now…as for the convenience – you can absolutely have the same accounting system you have with a debit card and your bank statement. If you like to do things online, there are systems like Mvelopes that allow you to manage your electronic transactions as they happen just like you are familiar with for cash. You’re right – you won’t get airline miles, but you will not be tempted either. Each person knows what they can handle. Life happens!! If I am spending my cash, and an emergency happens, I know exactly where I stand, and don’t have to worry about a big bill to settle at the end of the month. If you can get your savings to a one month expense cushion, you can do via debit card with no worries! You just can’t budget that close to the line. To each their own and what works for THEIR family is what is best though! Do what helps you to sleep at night!
Kelly says
We tried the envelope system when we were first married but I hated carrying all that cash since I never knew when I was going to stop at the grocery store while I was out. Fast forward 20 years … Our bank offers a free prepaid card that we transfer money onto each month. That way I can transfer our grocery money budgeted for the month onto that card. I can easily check the balance throughout the month and I can keep track of what I am spending on groceries. Works great!
Andrea says
Yeah, I didn’t think I could do the envelope method either — however I think the idea of prepaid cards from your bank is an awesome idea — especially if you can reload them online!
Stephanie says
Not sure if your school does Great Lakes scrip. I have been using gift cards from them. A small percentage goes toward my child’s tuition and it forces me to stick to a better budget because there is only a certain amount of money on the card. We also have a credit card with great reward program. It’s paid in full every month and we have only paid interest once or twice. Usually that was when spending didn’t get communicated clearly. Oops!
Sarah Wesgate says
This is exactly how our family rolls! Except that I am the keeper of the Credit Cards. My husband is a spender and I am a saver. Thankfully, we trust each other with that. He knows that he can take the card to buy groceries or gas when needed, and I know he won’t use it on anything else. We pay it off every single month (and I also have been doing this since age 18!). He likes to carry cash, so he takes a set amount from his paycheck each week for miscellaneous expenses. Being the gentleman that he is, he also likes to pay cash on dates and when we go out as a family. I don’t mind him keeping cash for his weekly expenses and he doesn’t mind me hanging on to the credit cards. Our system is a work in progress, but so far, it works for us!
Andrea says
I love this Sarah! For the fact that your husband acknowledges that he is a spender and lets you hold the cards — and that you are willing to work with his spending habits without getting frustrated. Money is a HUGE issue in many marriage (especially ones where one spouse is a spender and one is a saver) so that’s awesome that you found a system that is working for you!
sandra says
We do exactly the same as you, Andrea, and have for years. It makes life SO much easier. Our bills are about the same every month, and my husband and I are not big spenders, so it works for us.
The cash back and security are nice as well. We’ve had our credit card information compromised in the past and the company was on top of it. They actually called us personally to tell us there was suspicious activity. If there is a large purchase, they will call to verify as well.
Andrea says
Yes Sandra, we’ve actually had the credit card company call us too when there was a large purchase. Thankfully it was OUR large purchase — but still nice to know they are looking out for us 🙂
Liz says
A credit card (or debit card) is just a tool. And like other tools….you need to know how to use it properly and safely. Just like a chainsaw or a wok.
Laura says
Hi Andrea! We cut up all our credit cards when we started Dave’s program, and I don’t really miss them. We don’t use cash though – or we do very rarely. Like you, I don’t like to carry it around or keep track of each transaction. We use our debit cards, and since I use Quicken, all of our transactions are recorded in the program when I link to our account online. I go through each week to categorize everything according to our budget, but it’s very fast because once you enter a transaction and categorize it, future transactions are marked accordingly most of the time. I genuinely enjoy doing so and watching our monthly report!
All of our bank accounts are linked, and even with the debit card, if there was something I needed to buy, I could quickly use my phone bank app to transfer money if I had to for some reason! Actually – I have done so- for a few car repairs – it takes less than a minute to transfer the money and then I can just run the debit card. I will say I always choose “credit” vs. “debit” on the actual machines though – I don’t want to be entering my pin everywhere!
We are very thankful for Dave – we paid off a HELOC, fully funded our emergency fund, and cash-flowed 2 adoptions in just about 3 years! We definitely wouldn’t have been able to do that without budgeting well and sticking to it! 🙂 I know you and your hubby are super disciplined about that too from your posts! 🙂
Elena says
Andrea, we do the exact same thing as you do. I purchase everything with credit cards, and pay them off at the end of every month. Our credit scores are excellent and with all the mile/points that we accumulate throughout the year, we get to enjoy (almost) free vacations in the summer:) As long as you are being responsible, credit cards are great!
rebecca says
We also charge everything too, but I don’t wait until the end of the month to pay off the credit card. I pay as I charge. At the end of every day, I make an online bill payment to the credit card company for all the charges I made that day. Sometimes I get a little behind and will pay for a week’s worth of charges, but generally I’m on top of it. I also check our online statement weekly to make sure I haven’t missed any charges. I was able to figure out our card had been fraudulently charged within a day of it happening because I check the online balance so often. The credit card company was shocked I was able to notice it so quickly and profusely thanked me for keeping tabs on my account.
Chris k in Wisconsin says
We do the same thing. Pay as we go so there are never any surprises. We only use one card, so that does make it easier to check every day. They always tell us if there is any suspicious activity which usually is if we travel out of our usual area and they see a charge AND when we order on line, we get an immediate email saying our card was used and we were not present…. it has really simplified our life for sure. But we aren’t big spenders, and don’t have kids left at home, either. All of those “little” requests for cash when the kids are home for things at school, field trips, etc. really do add up.
Summer says
Wait until the kiddos start school! I am shocked by the amount of cash we send on a monthly basis! Granted our last daughter is in an environmental school, which has chickens! Which they run completely as a business, is cash only. They have lunch offered once a week, which is cash only and they bring sack lunches that sit outside, where they eat on non lunch days. Any suggestions for keeping food WARM?! Lol!
There is ALWAYS some expense at school and yes I can write checks weekly, but as kids get older, I am guessing you will need more cash on hand. Paying to enter sporting events, or snacks at the event, etc. The list will grow as you venture into school.
I am with you though! Completely! Cash is usually a pain and we love easy! Plus rewards!
Andrea says
haha — I’ve been told by more than one person that once school starts, I’ll need to use more cash 🙂 I’ll let you know how that goes in a couple more years!
Becky says
You might need more cash eventually, but I’d bet that doesn’t hit for a while. My kids are in elementary and I use my card or checks for just about everything at school. As a teacher, I much prefer receiving checks as payment for field trips or whatever because it’s much easier to track if something gets tangled up in the paperwork or lost in a student’s bookbag (which happens regularly!).
Becky says
Ha! Just realized this comment was from 2015!!! 🙂 🙂
Andrea says
Yes, these comments were old 🙂 but I agree, I will eventually need more cash once the kids get older! Although, I have done a lot with Paypal this year for Nora. I sent money to different parents via PayPal for her teacher gifts and other “student dues”. It worked well.
lydia @ frugaldebtfreelife says
We don’t use credit cards, but we don’t use cash either except at our local produce market or when making a HUGE purchase because I have actually talked a lot of places into giving me DEEP discount on appliances when I paid cash. However, we do use a Delta Sky Miles DEBIT card. You earn points just like you would with a credit card, only it’s tied to your bank account. Those miles are actually paying for our trip to Disney.
Also, I don’t have a credit score because we don’t use credit cards and we just bought a house. Our interest rate is also crazy low.
Tammy @ SkipperClan says
I love reading stories like this! Enjoy Disney!
Andrea says
sweet — I didn’t even know debit cards had rewards! enjoy your trip to Disney 🙂
Ashley says
“Credit cards are not “good” or “bad”; they are just a tool that can be used to do good or do bad.”
Yes, yes, yes!! Credit cards aren’t the problem, the way people use them is. Thank you for writing a balanced view on this topic.
Alicia G says
Yes to rewards!! It really adds up! We put everything on a card then pay off in full every statement. We have a card that gives 6% back at grocery stores so we also use that to buy gift cards for sites/stores we use often.
Amanda says
My grandparents are retired and on a fixed income. For as long as I can remember, they’ve used one major credit to pay all of their bills, then pay it off every month. That card has cash back, and they use that money for Christmas for our very large family. The only thing that they don’t do that way is that they write all of us birthday checks, so obviously that’s a check.
I too hate carrying cash – my husband and I get out $40 a month ($20ea), as just in case money to keep in our wallets. Otherwise, we run everything through our cards. We get free money because we buy things that we were going to buy anyway! I think you have to be disciplined, otherwise it spins out of control quickly. We use Mint.com to monitor all of our accounts in one place (including or mortgage, credit cards, bank accounts, investment accounts, etc), and I find that it helps to keep us on track, and make sure that we “know what’s going on”
Because we use credit cards, we were able to get a KILLER deal on a fridge. We waited for it to go on sale (I had been watching for 6mo to know what the best price was), we had turned about 18mo of cash back into store gift cards for the store we were going to buy from, and then we bought it online, because at the time we purchased, our credit card was offering 5% cash back on online purchases (I also used ebates while purchasing online and got several % back there too). We had physically gone to the store, looked at and touched the fridge and done a ton of research in advance. (our fridge was regularly priced at about $2100, and ended up being about $1250 after the sale, gift cards, and additional cash back)
Luca says
I’m just like you — it’s all about being disciplined. When I was young, I had friends who thought credit cards were sources of “free money,” and they accrued a lot of debt.
Another reason I prefer credit cards is security. I am very busy and do most of my non-grocery shopping online, and my credit card information was stolen twice in the past five years, prompting me to change my credit card right away. I would lose my mind if that happened with my debit card. I also don’t feel comfortable giving vendors and corporations access to my account. In case of fraudulent charges, with credit cards, the credit card company loses money, so it will investigate the matter immediately; with debit cards, you lose your own money. The credit card companies I work with have good fraud departments, and they took care of things in a couple of days.
Jenny says
That is an excellent point. Even if there is now purpsesful fraud (like the many data breaches that seem to happen on a daily basis, things do go wrong.) I had one co-worker who’s son’s day care accidentally ran the transaction though twice! Since this was here debt cards she was out quite a bit of money until it was reversed.
Andrea says
Yes Jenny, I actually had a similar situation with my business card. It was a charge of several THOUSAND dollars and it accidently went through twice. If that had been a debit card, my account would have been overdrawn (I don’t keep that much in the checking account) and it would have been a huge mess and hassle. Instead, the company just credited back my card and it was all resolved by the end of the month with almost no hassle for me (besides an email to the company)
Rebecca@TheFamilyFinder says
All of our budgeted expenses are paid for with the credit card. Including GAS. I have actually driven to another gas station when the attendant came on the intercom and said that the card reader was not working. Unloading the kids is a pain!
We do use cash for groceries and house supplies. I need a physical limit for this. It was to easy for me to go over our budget because I knew we had the money so just put it on the card. This way we are always under our grocery budget.
Anne says
I believe that credit cards drive up the prices for all of us, as the retailer/supplier must pay the bank fee associated with that transaction, thereby having to increase their prices to cover it.
I would prefer that sellers post a cash price and a credit price so that cash-only folks aren’t paying for the costs associated with credit cards.
Your thoughts?
Thanks.
Kim says
I use my credit card all the time and pay it in full every month. For me it is a wonderful tool for many of the same reasons you mentioned. BUT I don’t think everyone has the self discipline to not overspend or get themselves into high interest credit card debt. I think people need to be very honest with themselves as to whether or not they can use a credit card responsibly before they get one. I told one of my sons he should get one to establish credit, but advised the other son not to when he asked my opinion.
Tammy @ SkipperClan says
Love that you recognized the differences in your kids when making this decision. We are personally trying to raise kids with no credit score ala Dave Ramsey 😉 but know if the time comes for a mortgage they will be able to get underwriting done since they will only be making that decision with a big down payment 🙂
Holly Moran says
I have a friend who does this (they actually even make their mortgage payment on their credit card as well) & earn all the points, etc & pays the balance off each month. I have a couple of questions. We are thinking of trying this system. How do you ensure you aren’t overspending & will be able to pay the entire balance? We live on a pretty tight budget at this point in our lives & I’m worried that I would overspend if I used a credit card. (I guess I could check my balance throughout the month just like a bank account?) Also- do you suggest a particular card? What type of points/rewards should we look for when applying?
Melissa says
This is our concern too. We’ve discussed moving to this type of system because of the way our paychecks are distributed. I get paid the 15th and last of the month, and my husband is every other friday. It used to line up perfectly so we got paid every Friday, but my office recently switched. So now we are experiencing these ups and downs in cash flow. We’ve discussed switching everything to use a single credit card,but my concern is like Holly’s above – how to make sure we only spend what we normally would, and how to account for the extra things we sometimes use the credit card for. I’m not quite sure how to make the switch in a way that doesn’t give me hives 🙂
Jenny says
If you are making the switch I would advise you enter your transactions right away rather then waiting until the end of the week/end of the month. Also, before you buy anything ask yourself (is this something I would have paid cash for, if not then don’t buy it.) I’ve been using credit cards to pay for everything since I moved out on my own and made close to the poverty line. I found credit cards gave me more control so I knew exactly when the money would be coming out of my account. Plus when you don’t make a lot of money the cash back/gift cards that credit cards provide is a huge plus.
Melissa says
Thank you. We do enter transactions right away now, into our Quicken app/program, but I don’t do that with the credit card, because I can download those. So I think what we’ll try to do is slowly switch our monthly regular bills to the credit card and work on making sure we manage the spending to be able to pay that off every month and then we can work out how to manage extra projects (like a new shed this spring, etc) with a card, perhaps a separate card for special projects. Thanks for the advice!
Diana says
We use almost this exact system and it works well for us.
We can go online to our bank account (our card is from the same bank we have our savings/checking account with) and check the statement-in-progress at any time. Almost all transactions (except gas) are posted the same day or next business day, so we always know exactly how much we’ve spent. My husband also keeps a spreadsheet where he enters totals into categories so we know where we are for each budget category.
Do what works for you! This is the easiest way for us to keep track of what we spend, and there’d be no harm in your giving it a try. If it doesn’t work for you, then re-evaluate and find a different system that you can easily keep up with 🙂
fern says
I deduct credit card purchases from my check register when they are made. Since they aren’t taken from my checking account until the next month or two, the money is there and I don’t have to worry about over-spending.
Nancy says
I too don’t like to carry cash, although I find I need it more now with school-aged kids (admission to sporting events, requests for small amounts of cash for field trips, etc.) Despite being quite disciplined overall, I find myself drawn to vending machines at work, which I can overcome by not carrying cash. I’m 50 and have had the same Discover account since I was 20. I use it for almost everything. But I do make an effort to pay cash or write a check for small purchases and for purchases at small businesses because I think in those cases the credit card transaction fees charged to the business are a burden.
Andrea says
Good point Nancy! I too will TRY to pay cash at small businesses (if I have the cash) because I know that credit cards charge a fee.
And also, I’m chuckling a little at your vending machine comment! It is hard for me to resist a bag of those M&M’s! Thankfully, I don’t come across many vending machines in my daily life 🙂
Nancy says
Just revisiting this, Andrea, bc this week was a real example of why I often use cash for my school-age kids. Some of these could be avoided by planning ahead or choosing differently, but in general I’m willing to foot expenses like the yearbooks. Also, this has been quite a week for our family, the kind you don’t want to repeat, so we have chosen to pay for some conveniences.
Sunday: $5 for doughnuts at church
Nancy says
Oops–looks like my comment above was cut off:
Tuesday–$2 admission to basketball game. My son brought water from home but then also requested a Gatorade ($2). My husband arrived & paid separately. $10 for end-of season gift for coach.
Wednesday: $15 each for yearbooks for two middle schoolers (I wrote checks for these)
Friday: $5 each for two middle schoolers to attend dance, $5 each for pizza etc. at dance. $10 for one to attend movie.
Saturday: basketball tournament $3 gate fee for each parent. More for concessions, if we buy them. $10.00 for child attending a music contest to cover a drink while there, plus the bus will stop for dinner on the way home.
I’m not complaining (much) and as I said in general I’m willing to spend money this way even including concessions occasionally bc they are convenient and also a fundraiser. Just illustrating how my need for cash has changed since my kids were the age yours are now. I like your blog!
Tammy @ SkipperClan says
We are total Dave Ramsey-cultists in the middle of paying off debt. I think you and your husband are rare, rare exceptions when it comes to the use of credit cards and I also think that if your budget was planned in advance every month (which it seems you probably do from what you’ve posted) that you could use a debit card the same way you use your credit card and simply enter the transactions once a week or so with no fear of what was happening to your account balance. I doubt anyone will convince you to change any more than this post convinces me to change 😉 Our goal is to raise young adults who either never ever have any loan of any kind, or at the least only have mortgage debt since that is nearly impossible (although not impossible) for younger families today.
I appreciate you sharing what works for you and how it works for you, but when it comes to credit cards, I think it’s one of those things that trips more people up than helps them. Our goal is to get back to not only having our savings set aside, but to have a month’s income in our checking ahead of time, so basically bills for one month are paid for from the income of the prior month. (We used to only operate like this). That provides the same type of cushion as a credit card but without relying on debt to do it. Thanks again for being willing to share what works for you and acknowledging that it may not be best for everyone (especially those working to develop more discipline in their finances).
Andrea says
Thanks Tammy, I knew I could count on you for a “opposite side” comment today 🙂
I will say, that I am in no way trying to “convince someone to change” and start using credit cards (also, you’re right, you won’t convince me to switch to cash or debit either. I get too many rewards and perks with my credit cards!) I’m simply trying to start a conversation about credit cards because (contrary to what Dave Ramsey and others think) they are NOT evil or bad or sinful. They are just a tool for us to use, and if we use it wisely and responsibly, there is no issue. Even cash and debit cards are “tools” and if we don’t use them wisely or responsibly, we will run into issues (like overdrawing our account and getting fees from our bank).
Oh, and I also want to mention that I do NOT think all debt is bad. I commend you for teaching your children how to steward their money and how to be financially responsible (many parents could learn from you!) but I wouldn’t go crazy trying to prevent them from incurring any debt or loans.
I can’t tell you how much more financially responsible I became the minute I realized I had a student loan to pay off — and then Dave’s student loans after we were married. The low interest rate was nothing compare to the financial lessons I learned through the process of paying off that debt. Honestly, that debt was such a good thing for my financial maturity!
Pamela says
Andrea,
Has Dave Ramsey actually said that credit cards are “evil” and “sinful”? I agree with your post 100%, and I use a credit card ALL the time, but I don’t want your post or comments to mischaracterize what Ramsey actually teaches. Yes, he is against credit card use, but is it on the basis of it being “sinful”? Where are you reading that? I have two of his books and am not seeing “sin” or “evil” as the grounds of his argument.
Tammy @ SkipperClan says
I will agree on this point above from Pamela specifically, reading or listening to DR you will hear him agree with you completely that none of these items cash/debit/credit cards are evil, but the love of (any of) them can be. In the end, I think it would be reasonable to agree that the credit card industry (like any other) would not be so prolific were it not profitable. Since that usually comes from those who are not managing the debt well, it is why I will continue to set the goal to never use them again.
It’s rare that I fall into an all-or-nothing attitude about anything but this is one of the few that I do. I believe our kids are learning the same responsibility and financial lessons from understanding they had to earn the scholarships or wages to attend school vs paying off student loans. Our son is 19 has every scholarship or dollar saved needed to complete his entire Bachelor’s program with absolutely no loans. He drives a paid for car, works tirelessly, and regularly attends/participates in his church.
I think we truly are ingrained as a culture that debt is a tool when in the end, it truly gives someone else control over your home (mortgage), your transportation (auto loans), your career choices (student loans), etc.
We are setting the goal to accomplish the same conveniences and simplicity in our finances that your (well written!) post shares today – just with the goal of doing it from our own self-managed credit (savings) instead of a card.
We are hard working, faith-focused, doing the best we can with the knowledge we have, kind of people – and yet we have been at the bottom of the pit when it came to the housing market, career choices, etc. That type of experience that millions of Americans have experienced hits an emotional place that is hard to describe. We had the work and income and good habits as a young couple that could’ve prevented all of that pain – but we went along with what was normal until something unexpected happen and the credit card didn’t get paid off. It’s a slippery slope. So, I believe in sharing ideas that keep people from ever being near the edge 🙂
Alllll that said, you know I agree with almost everything you share and believe your experiences bless the world so keep sharing. I’m happy to steadfastly agree with love 🙂
Andrea says
Thanks Tammy — your son sounds amazing!
Also, this is probably my favorite line from the comments today 🙂 “We are setting the goal to accomplish the same conveniences and simplicity in our finances that your (well written!) post shares today – just with the goal of doing it from our own self-managed credit (savings) instead of a card.”
Andrea says
Hi Pamela,
In the blog post I simply stated that (in my own opinion) “There is nothing evil or bad or sinful or irresponsible about using credit cards IF you use them wisely and only buy things you have the money to pay for.” That’s my opinion. I’m not quoting Dave Ramsey or anyone else — nor did I claim to be quoting anyone.
Then in my response to Tammy, I stated: “I’m simply trying to start a conversation about credit cards because (contrary to what Dave Ramsey and others think) they are NOT evil or bad or sinful.”
I never said “Dave Ramsey says credit cards are sinful in his books”. I’ve honestly never read anything written by Dave Ramsey, but I’ve heard his show and I know that he does say credit cards are bad and we shouldn’t use them 🙂 However, I also know plenty of other people (which is who I was referring to when I mentioned “Dave Ramsey and OTHERS”) who have told me to my face that they think credit cards are “sinful” and “evil”. So I guess I just lumped “Dave Ramsey and others” into one sentence without taking the time to clarify everything.
Either way, the point of my post still stands… credit cards themselves are not bad or sinful or evil. No, they certainly are not the best choice for everyone, but they are not a bad choice for everyone either.
Pamela says
Thanks for your reply, Andrea.
I think I understand what you’re getting at, and I agree. My point (and I’m sorry I didn’t write too clearly!) is that we have to be careful when using loaded language (such as “sinful” and “evil”). I have no doubt that it is true of the “others” you refer to, but I don’t think it’s accurate to lump those views in with Ramsey. Those particular words ramp this debate up to a moral level that I don’t *think* Ramsey does, at least if I’m interpreting him correctly (which I might not be!). But I fully understand that “others” do debate this on moral grounds.
Again, I agree with the point of your post. Thanks for writing it.
Andrea says
Yes, I agree Pamela! Thanks 🙂
Roxie says
Great post Andrea! Many at my church have gone through Dave Ramsey’s class and it’s transformed their way of thinking. I am also a rebel (LOL) and I do use one major credit card. I put all expenses on that card and pay it off entirely when the bill comes due. Plus I get a cash back bonus at the end of the month that I put towards the next month’s bill. If they want to pay me to charge to their card I’m completely fine with that!
The first month into it, I made a conscious effort to move each expense from my checking account into my savings account so that when the bill came due, I would make sure I had the money to pay the bill in full. That helped me be conscious of my spending and quite frankly there’s a credit card app for my card and I can monitor my expenses on a daily basis.
Amy O says
Andrea – I agree with you 100%! And I was brought up in a family that thought credit cards were “evil” – almost sinful. I got my first one in college and my parents were aghast. But I have always used it responsibly – like you said, it is just a tool. My husband and I put everything on there – mainly groceries, gas and other necessities. And we have also given our high school age sons (16 and 18) their own cards to be used for emergencies, gas and necessities (that we approve beforehand) only. We use one cash-back card and another one that gives us free airplane miles. We have earned several free airplane tickets! And I, like you, love to have one bill for everything at the end of the month – which we always pay off in full. Credit cards are neutral if you treat responsibly. I agree that there are many people who don’t need to use them and I respect why. But I love using credit cards!
Andrea says
Wow — I’m surprised you “made the switch” to credit cards considering your family history. Sounds like you are using your credit cards very responsibly! Way to go 🙂