1. PERSONAL FINANCE

Convenient Alternatives to Credit Cards

Convenient Alternatives to Credit Cards
BY Sara Korn
Nov 5, 2019
 - Updated 
Sep 24, 2024
Key Takeaways:
  • There are alternatives to credit cards for those who cannot get approved or who don't want to use credit.
  • Debit cards and secured credit cards provide a similar experience for in-person shopping.
  • PayPal and other online payment apps let you safely pay online.

When you’re trying to get out of debt, it’s often necessary to stop using credit cards so you can avoid taking on new debt while you work to pay off what you have. In fact, most unsecured debt in the United States consists of credit card debt. But as society moves further away from cash and an increasing amount of everyday purchases are made online, credit cards seem to have become indispensable.

If you’re not using credit cards, how are you able to make purchases unless it’s an in-person transaction? The truth is, living without credit cards could be easier than you might think. There are plenty of alternatives to credit cards for making everyday purchases, regardless of your credit score.

Debit card

Debit cards allow you to easily spend money from your checking account, making them one of the best alternatives to credit cards from a purely ease-of-use perspective. However, if you’re used to the flexibility of credit cards, you may have to be more disciplined about staying within your budget. To avoid overdrawing your account when using a debit card, keep track of how much you can spend vs. how much needs to be in the account to pay bills.

You might want to open a separate checking account and use a debit card tied to that account for daily spending. That way you know the balance on your spending account is what you have to spend, and you can be more confident that you won’t accidentally spend money you need for more important things like your rent and utilities. In fact, that strategy could help you establish a better understanding of your budget and become more disciplined. Look for checking accounts with low or no monthly fees.

Reloadable prepaid cards

Similar to debit cards, reloadable prepaid cards may be used wherever credit cards are accepted but won’t expose you to the risk of taking on debt. You can find these wherever gift cards are sold (such as grocery stores and pharmacies) or buy them online from issuers like Visa, Mastercard, and American Express.

Keep in mind that you may have to pay transaction fees if you use ATMs that aren’t part of a particular network, as well as fees to reload the cards with additional funds. For example, you pay $2.50 per transaction (along with any applicable ATM operator fees) to use the American Express Prepaid Card at ATMs that are not affiliated with the MoneyPASS network.

You may want to do a little research to find the ones with the best terms and lowest fees. For example, some are protected from loss and theft, under certain conditions, while others are not. All of these cards have some type of fee, but beware of cards that have high fees that can eat up the balance quickly.

Secured credit cards

A secured credit card is similar to a prepaid credit card, and one of the best alternatives to credit cards if you’re trying to rebuild your credit. You deposit money into a savings account, and that money is used to set a credit limit and used as collateral (hence, it is “secured”). You’re still required to make payments toward your balance, but if you can’t pay, the bank or credit union will take the money from your savings account.

Unlike prepaid credit cards, secured credit cards will report to the credit bureaus, so if make on time payments consistently, it may help to improve your credit profile. For this reason, secured credit cards could be a great option if you have a low credit score and don’t have access to credit cards with favorable terms. If used responsibly, they can help you restore your credit score.

PayPal and similar services

PayPal provides an online payments platform and is accepted by most online retailers (Amazon is one notable exception). This alleviates the need to have a payment card for online purchases and, like prepaid and debit cards, won’t add to your debt load. Also, PayPal offers a cash card in partnership with Mastercard that can be used wherever Mastercard is accepted (which makes offline purchases possible).

As with the other options discussed, PayPal charges transactional fees for cash withdrawals at unaffiliated ATMs (PayPal is part of the MoneyPASS network). They make the majority of their revenue by charging vendors transactional fees. Competing online payment services include Skrill, Google Pay, and Stripe.

Get professional help with your debt and finances

By discovering alternatives to credit cards, you’ll learn more about budgeting and improve your financial health. Learning how to deal with debt, everyday spending, and planning for your future doesn’t need to be hard. Our simple-to-follow guide will help you find the tools you need to move toward a better financial future. Get started by downloading our free guide today.

Debt relief by the numbers

We looked at a sample of data from Freedom Debt Relief of people seeking debt relief during August 2024. This data reveals the diversity of individuals seeking help and provides insights into some of their key characteristics.

Credit utilization and debt relief

How are people using their credit before seeking help? Credit utilization measures how much of a credit line is being used. For example, if you have a credit line of $10,000 and your balance is $3,000, that is a credit utilization of 30%. High credit utilization often signals financial stress. We have looked at people who are seeking debt relief and their credit utilization. (Low credit utilization is 30% or less, medium is between 31% and 50%, high is between 51% and 75%, very high is between 76% to 100%, and over-utilized over 100%). In August 2024, people seeking debt relief had an average of 88% credit utilization.

Here are some interesting numbers:

Credit utilization bucketPercent of debt relief seekers
Over utilized88%
Very high5%
High3%
Medium1%
Low3%

The statistics refer to people who had a credit card balance greater than $0.

You don't have to have high credit utilization to look for a debt relief solution. There are a number of solutions for people, whether they have maxed out their credit cards or still have a significant part available.

Home-secured debt – average debt by selected states

According to the 2023 Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) (using 2022 data) the average home-secured debt for those with a balance was $212,498. The percentage of families with mortgage debt was 42%.

In August 2024, 27% of the debt relief seekers had a mortgage. The average mortgage debt was $236,240, and the average monthly payment was $1,890.

Here is a quick look at the top five states by average mortgage balance.

State% with a mortgage balanceAverage mortgage balanceAverage monthly payment
California21$391,801$2,725
Washington DC18$336,914$2,290
Utah35$324,405$2,184
Nevada26$307,368$2,063
Massachusetts29$303,507$2,366

The statistics are based on all debt relief seekers with a mortgage loan balance over $0.

Housing is an important part of a household's expenses. Remember to consider all your debts when looking for a way to get debt relief.

Support for a Brighter Future

No matter your age, FICO score, or debt level, seeking debt relief can provide the support you need. Take control of your financial future by taking the first step today.

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