April 4th, 2010 
Kevin Clark 
A debit card is often the best route for consumers enduring their daily expenses.
It protects them from running up credit card debt – which may eventually prove impossible to pay off. Debit cards also allows consumers to avoid using personal checks. When accepted, this form of payment often requires additional identification at the point of purchase. And with lending conditions far from loose, debit may be the only option for consumers who have fallen behind on their expenses.
Still, there are times when turning to credit can help individuals protect their finances and receive stronger customer service, according to a recent report by the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Booking a flight is one of these times. Poor weather and other conditions outside of a consumer’s control often cause airlines to delay or cancel their flights.
“Using a credit card, you can get reimbursed through the proper process,” Hawaii Credit Union League president Dennis Tanimoto told the newspaper. “I don’t believe you get reimbursed with debit cards, because once it’s deducted from your account, you’re pretty much out of luck.”
The same goes for big-ticket purchases. Consumers who put these transactions on their debit cards may find it more difficult to receive relief if the items they buy prove faulty. The “charge-back” option on credit cards is an easier way to restore their funds.
Identity theft is a risk for individuals no matter which kind of plastic they depend on. Liability protections for credit cards may allow users to minimize their risk, according to the report. Therefore, those shopping online or booking a room at a hotel may be better off using credit than debit.
Eighty-one percent of credit cardholders recently surveyed by Compete said they used credit for travel expenses, while 77 percent rely on them for expensive purchases. Cash was the most popular medium for daily expenses. Debit cards were rely on most heavily for groceries.
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Tags: May, May Better