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Comment by zapu | Hacker News Reader

In Europe, it's much easier to get debit than credit. You get debit card for any bank account you own, and sometimes it will even be free of charge. Even for accounts in different currency than your local one. Functionally, it's not much different than credit - you can pay on the internet, pay in all the stores, use in ATM. Why bother with applying for credit card, then (for most people)?

It used to be different though, for example 10+ years ago I couldn't pay on the internet with my debit card, it had to be credit card - we called them "convex cards" because of the "raised" numbers on the card instead of just flat-printed card number.

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In the US a debit card is free and standard for any checking or savings account.

It's functionally the same, yes, in the sense they are just plastic cards that perform transactions, but as I mentioned in my post there's a big difference in the financial impact. I won't pretend to know the rules, regulations, etc in Europe for credit cards, but when I traveled there I used my cards for everything and only had a problem once with CaptaineTrain booking a train ticket.

With one of my cards I get 3% cash back on dining. So while I'm traveling throughout Europe I'm getting 3% off every meal. If you're paying in cash you're still paying full price. Soooo why pay in cash and not get a 3% discount.

I've also noticed recently that Yelp is offering discounts when people link their credit card in their Yelp account. I saw something like 7% off of your meal for doing so at one restaurant. Now I haven't done that yet, I'm still considering the privacy implications, but it is there.

In the US at least, and I suspect Europe, you should use a credit card for every single purchase.

>It's functionally the same, yes

Not even close. Being able to spend money that's not yet hit your account is a tremendous advantage for credit cards.

Oh, and when the hotel front desk screws up their holds you aren't forced to shuffle around money while waiting for the money to be released back to your account.

Please read my post above my response as I mentioned these things in more general terms. :) I just meant that the actual card itself worked the same, mostly. You put numbers in an online form, swipe/insert chip, etc.

I wasn't trying to imply that you're wrong, rather I was just trying to expand on what you said.

Oops sorry. I misread.

I didn't know about the discounts when paying with CC.

A lot of shops here offer discounts when paying with cash. It violates rules of card processing companies - or rather, they would violate them to charge more for card transaction, so the stores would just say "3% discount on all purchases, unless paid by card".

Which is ok with me. But if they don't offer that then it makes sense to purchase with card.

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