To each their own. Some people may not be comfortable with a small amount of risk which I consider this to be. We use credit cards for everything and pay them off immediately. Never had a problem. It takes some discipline to make sure you are not spending frivolously but if we don't have money for it backed up in savings and then some we don't buy it. I know that goes against the Dave Ramsey approach and also many in the church based off of conversations during financial courses but it has worked great for us. We make several thousand a year from cash back cards.