sbiddle:markl:
Hmmm, so you'd rather go into debt on a credit card than use your own actual money using a debit card?
Each to their own I suppose, but most people are better off avoiding debt...
Yes. I pay my credit card off each month so have ~50 days interest free.
Last year I spent 40+ nights in hotels and probably had about a dozen rental car hires. Many hotels and cart companies won't accept debit cards, and even if they do you're immediately stung with anywhere from $100 - $2000 of YOUR money that you can no longer spend because it's held as security for anything up to a week until the hold clears. If your debit card is compromised it's your money that's taken. Yes the bank will reverse the charges if you're deemed not to be liable, but in the mean time it's your money that's gone.
There are very good reasons for a debit card - if you're somebody who has financial issues and can't control their spending so doesn't want the temptation of a credit card, they're the perfect solution. For most other people I see them as an incredibly bad idea.
Paranoid much? Lol
You seen to be disregarding the fact that you cab control how much money you our into the account that is backing a debit card. The risk is totally up to you to control.
Ok, I'll concede the issue with hotels, hire car companies will be similar I suppose, but I think you're being dramatic when you set that a debit card is "an incredibly bad idea".