Less people are carrying cash these days than in previous generations, and enjoying the ease and convenience of cashless shopping using debit or credit cards. Although both types of plastic cards come with their own benefits you may want to consider these advantages debit cards provide before pulling a credit card from your wallet.

First of all, debit cards usually don’t have annual or transaction fees. As long as you use affiliated ATMs transaction fees can be avoided. (Fees may apply when using a debit card outside of the United States.)

Debit cards will help you keep a close eye on your spending and hold you accountable for your budget. When you use a debit card, the purchase amount is immediately deducted from your checking account. This should prevent you from spending more money than you have! Shopping with a credit card can make it easier to make bigger or impulsive purchases because you have more time to pay for it. With incremental interest rates though, you may end up spending more than the original purchase price.

A few tips you should keep in mind when using a debit card:

• Memorize your PIN number. Don’t ever write it on the debit card or give it to anyone else. 
• Hold on to purchase receipts. Reference these to ensure the correct amounts were deducted from your bank account.
• Be aware of your account balance. This will help you from not overspending. Online or mobile banking makes it easy to check your balance often. 
• Check your purchase transactions every day. Make sure there aren’t any unusual fees or unfamiliar purchases in your online activity. If you do see anything unusual, contact your bank immediately.

Waypoint Bank offers customers access to the MoneyPass network with VISA Debit Cards. MoneyPass provides surcharge-free ATM transactions to MoneyPass cardholders who use a MoneyPass ATM. There are 32,000 surcharge-free MoneyPass ATMs in the United States, located at financial institutions and retail locations. 

To learn more about the MoneyPass network or to open a checking account, please visit your local Waypoint branch. To find the one nearest you, click here.

Waypoint Bank strives to be an exceptional provider of superior financial solutions that promote the small-town approach of putting the customer first while earning their trust in the most friendly and professional manner possible. Stop by your local Waypoint Bank today or visit our page for more information.