Paying with Cash Changes How You Shop

When I say paying with cash, I am very serious. Most Americans have no concept of simply using cash all of the time. I was very happy to read what Money Magazine’s Senior writer Donna Rosato wrote about killing off credit cards in the magazine’s June issue. She said, "studies find that paying with a card turns you into a different shopper, one who is less price sensitive and more extravagant. Forgo credit cards and you'll run up a smaller tab when you shop, plain and simple.
Why go to the trouble of clipping coupons and searching for 2 cents-a-gallon cheaper gas when you can save money without thinking about it by changing how you pay? As a bonus, you'll never have to worry about $39 late fees, 25% penalty interest rates or a creeping card balance again.
You may think that in this electronic world you can't function without a credit card. Not true, though you'll likely have to "cheat" with a debit card to get by. And you'll have to keep a sharper eye on your bank balance. Nothing wrong with that. In fact, paying closer attention to your finances can make the benefits of ditching credit cards even richer.
That's what we learned from dozens of enthusiastic ex-card users who shared tales of being able to retire early, stay at home with the kids and even lose weight once they swore off plastic. Once you consider all the upsides to quitting your card, what sounds like a radical proposal becomes, well, a remarkably obvious thing to do.”
I agree with that logic. It is obvious but most Americans fight for the right to buy on credit. The next time you get that credit card bill in the mail, think about what you just read and cut those cards to shreds.