Debit or Credit? The Choice Can Make a Difference

Oct. 26, 2010— -- Debit or credit? That question is just as common at the supermarket checkout line as plastic or paper. While there are plenty of arguments for both sides, consumers are choosing to use their debit cards rather than credit cards in growing numbers.

Debit card use is highest at the supermarket, with 53 percent reporting that they use debit most frequently, up 18 points from two years ago, according to research MasterCard published in January.

And there is more evidence of consumers' growing use of debit cards. Forty-eight percent of consumers say debit is their primary payment method. For the last quarter of 2008, Visa reported that the total dollar volume of purchases made using its debit cards surpassed credit card purchases for the first time. For the third quarter ending in June, Visa reported that the total dollar volume of its debit programs was more than its credit programs.

With the holiday shopping season just around the corner, analysts are expecting to see an increasing reliance on debit cards by consumers who want to rein in personal debt. With an unstable economy, consumers are more wary of using credit, instead opting to spend money they have.

"That's an important advantage of debit," said Josh Frank, senior researcher with the Center for Responsible Lending. "A lot of people don't use their credit card because they don't want to get over their head into debt, which is a good concern. With debit, you're spending money that you have, if you haven't opted into an overdraft program."

A number of debit cards have overdraft features that allow users, for a fee, to spend more than they have in their account. The features of debit cards are often a matter of bank policy, and consumers should be aware that policies required by law for credit cards may not apply to debit cards, including dispute protections. However, industry analysts say the most important protections are present for both credit and debit cards, such as protection against stolen cards.

"The general rule is: Consumers are not liable for unauthorized transactions," said Peter Garuccio, spokesman for the American Bankers Association. "But you have to contact your bank right away."