 TITLE: Are Credit Cards Safer Than Debit Cards? CONTENT: When Is It Safer to Use a Debit Card?\n-------------------------------------\nAlthough the legal protection for debit cards may not be as consumer-friendly as it is for credit cards, there are a couple of compelling reasons to use them.\nFirst, debit cards can help you avoid getting into overwhelming debt. Credit cards are valuable payment tools, but if you use them the wrong way, they can jeopardize your financial health. The average U.S. consumer credit card balance is $6,445, according to Experian data from the fourth quarter of 2018, which is a lot of money to owe. When you owe too much on your credit cards, not only is your bottom line negatively affected, but so are your credit reports and credit scores. Accessible and high credit lines lead an awful lot of people into the hole.\nBy focusing on using a debit card for most of your expenses, you can sidestep this problem. Create a budget so you understand your cash flow needs, and keep enough money in your checking account to meet them. When you're running out of funds, you can pull back from spending.\nSecond, debit cards are also financially safer than credit cards when withdrawing cash. When you use your debit card to get money from your bank's ATM (as well as affiliated ATMs and retailers, such as drug stores and supermarkets), you won't be hit with a cash advance fee. Withdraw cash from a credit card, though, and a fee of 3% to 5% of the amount of you take out will be added to the balance, and interest will start to be accumulated immediately. END