Debit & Credit cards

有一次，我们去 grocery store，Steve把我们要買的東西交到櫃台刷卡结賬，然后他跟结賬員說了一些話，结賬員就给他一些鈔票。我好奇的问，“為什么结賬員會给你錢？” 他说，“我用 debit card。” 什么是 debit card 呢？它也如 ATM card，你設立戶口存入足夠的錢於銀行，就可以用此卡於某些店購物或提款，结款就是直接從你銀行戶口内的錢扣減付给那間店。不過大多數店都有限制提款額。而另一种是信用卡（credit card），是月结賬單，你收到單后，付款给信用卡銀行。

马來西亞的銀行很推薦信用卡，最近報導，40% 持信用卡的人只付最低付款額。啊…我在想利上加利，累積几年后，那個數目，不是很驚人嗎？这不是很好的理財！我的作風是每月清很少拖欠，不知道像我这樣的客戶，对銀行來說是利還是弊！

Once, we went to the grocery store and Steve put the things that we wanted on the counter, then he swept his card. After that, he said something to the cashier. Then the cashier gave some money to him. I was curious, “Why did the cashier give you money?” He said, “I used my debit card.” What is a debit card? Instead of receiving a credit card statement to pay at the end of the month, the money is deducted directly from the bank account. There has to be enough money in the account for the purchase. Since the money is being taken directly from a bank account, you can also get cash from the cashier, like an ATM. Most places have limits on the amount of cash you can get from the cashier.

Most banks in Malaysia try to promote their credit card, and a report said 40% of credit card holders paid only the minimum amount. Ah…I think how the amount will scare you after the interest and balance accumulating for a few years? This is not good financial control! My practice was to try to clear and not keep a monthly balance of more than a few ringgit (dollars). I don’t know, will the bank think a customer like me is an advantage or disadvantage!