X204 Project

Plastic is becoming more convenient and easier to use.  No, I am not talking about bags at the shopping center.  I am talking about your debit and credit cards.  Not only are they more convenient and a time saver, they are also cheaper!  There are many pros and cons as I will explain for both products but I think we all can agree that plastic is the new way to go when making payments.
Debit cards, which are also known as, check cards or bank cards give people a greater sense of safety and control when purchasing items.  Unlike credit cards, where you can continue to charge things over and over again, debit cards can be prevented from using all the money in your account.  Debit card transactions are easier to show proof of purchase and solve problems with the bank.   The convenience is the main reason people use debit cards.  You do not have to carry around those bulky check books and keep a running balance.  If you have a bank like mine, every time your debit card is swiped you receive a text with all of the transaction information.  This is turn makes it easier for you to not have to keep a running balance in the check register because, it is always at your fingertips.  The nice thing about debit cards is they do not require identification if the back of the card is signed.   Lastly, with a debit card it is highly unlikely you will over draw your account, when it is very easy to do so with a check.  The debit card should and will decline if the funds you are purchasing are insufficient to the funds in your account.
Now let’s move onto checks.  What good are they in the twenty first century?  If you answered absolutely nothing, you are correct.  The number one reason why checks are no good in this day and age is because they cost us money that we should not have to spend on checks.  Do you get angry at that one person who waits until the last minute to completely fill out their check?  The convenience of time for checks is not good at all.  If you are in a rush or the people in line behind you are in a rush then things could get hectic.  Using checks can make it very easy to over draw on your account.  If you do not keep good check register then you could incur many fees for overdrawing on your account.  People used to write checks to pay their bills but now with online banking it is just so simple to do it that way.
If I have not made it clear yet debit cards are more convenient than checks.  They are cheaper, safer, and most of all a time saver.

~Ryan Haddan

Thanks to http://www.ehow.com/about_6103852_debit-cards-vs_-checks.html