Reply #115: Of course it's possible just as it is possible to get by without a number of conveniences.

[Frumious B]

However, the most important advantage that credit cards still have over debit cards is in fraud protection. Even if you are complete dumbass with your credit card number the most you can be held liable for under Federal law if there is fraud on your account is $50.00. With debit cards you don't have the same Federal protections. It's down to the individual policies of whatever bank issued the card if there is fraud. Also, keep in mind that while you're trying to untangle the mess you might be racking up overdraft charges due to the missing money from your account. The bank might put the money back in your account eventually, but they might not clear all those overdraft fees. You're at their mercy. It doesn't even necessarily have to be fraud that screws you. It could just be a cashier error somewhere that still has manual credit card terminals where you didn't look at your receipt carefully enough to notice a number that got double punched or an extra zero.

You can avoid all that by simply having one or two (but no more than two) credit cards that you pay in full every month. That way you get a statement to look over and if there are items you need to dispute then you dispute them and you are never out that money.