How reliant are you on credit cards?

I see those TV commercials all the time where the world literally grinds to a halt whenever a customer tries to pay for deli food, coffee and doughnuts, gardening supplies, or whatever else with cash or a check, then happily resumes when the card in the hand of the next customer is swiped across the scanning device.

Sure, the cards are convenient, but they’re also expensive. It’s so easy to get into serious trouble with credit card debt. It’s also difficult to survive in this digital world without them. So what to do?

First, shop around for the absolute best deal you can qualify for. There are companies who will do the legwork for you, finding the best deals on interest rates, annual fees, late payment charges, and more for everything from Visa and Master Card to department store and gas credit cards.

Then, use the cards wisely, showing some restraint. Don’t buy things you can’t afford. And if you can, get your checking or savings account through a bank that offers free debit cards, and use that instead of credit.

You might not get that instant gratification, but you’ll certainly save yourself a lot of headaches down the road.