Last week, we looked at how some banks were canceling consumer credit cards without warning and how consumers could avoid it by using their cards more. That discussion sparked a debate about whether people can get by without credit cards at all. We speak to two people who are doing just that: Joel Westendorf of Los Angeles; and Andrea Hermitt of Atlanta. Takeaway contributor Beth Kobliner lays out some of the logistical benefits and drawbacks of life without plastic.
"There's a myth that you have to have a credit card to have a credit history, and that's not the case. If you're paying off a car loan regularly, or a student loan regularly, or a mortgage loan regularly, that is also building your credit history."
—Beth Kobliner, on the myth that credit cards are required to establish a credit score