Are you embarrassed every time you use your credit card?

[longtimelurker]

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@myjourney wrote:

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Not to contradict but the person with the FP or any other card feels just as good as the person with the Amex card because no matter what card or statues you are at the time a card only represents one thing CREDIT and a swipe VS a debit card.

And each and every one of those persons didn't start with a Plat, Black or any other so called statues card IMHO

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Right, but remember the person swiping a debit card can also feel good, because they have the money in the account to afford the transaction!  

[myjourney]

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@longtimelurker wrote:

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@myjourney wrote:

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Not to contradict but the person with the FP or any other card feels just as good as the person with the Amex card because no matter what card or statues you are at the time a card only represents one thing CREDIT and a swipe VS a debit card.

And each and every one of those persons didn't start with a Plat, Black or any other so called statues card IMHO

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Right, but remember the person swiping a debit card can also feel good, because they have the money in the account to afford the transaction!  

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True 

[watch44]

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@longtimelurker wrote:

Right, but remember the person swiping a debit card can also feel good, because they have the money in the account to afford the transaction!  

Unless they don't and get hit with $300 worth of overdraft fees (yes, this happened to me once). 

[MoreRewards]

I've never been embarrassed about any of my cards. But I have wondered if the cashier thought "they can't even afford groceries" using my SM to pay. I Don't care in the long run. I just wonder if when you use credit do people think it's because you HAVE to not because you WANT to for the rewards.

I also notice what cards people have. Not judging them though. I Just can't help but notice. Then I wonder if they use or know about the rewards structure & if they take advantage of it. Some people have no clue. My Co worker has had DS It for long time but doesn't use it or know about rotating categories or 1% bacj. What! I Also noted a man paying with Slate though I saw he had a Freedom also. Maybe he had a reason like if it's 0% APR & he will have to carrying the balance or maybe he doesn't know 1% back on all purchases with Freedom????

[Stralem]

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@MoreRewards wrote:
I've never been embarrassed about any of my cards. But I have wondered if the cashier thought "they can't even afford groceries" using my SM to pay.

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Average cashier wages being what they are, they're more likely to be thinking that about themselves.

Honestly, I don't see many people paying for groceries with cash these days, at least not over a certain dollar amount. The last time I went grocery shopping, the total came out to $170. I had the cash in my checking account to cover it, but because I didn't want to carry around that much green, I just swiped a card and payed the charge when it posted a few days later.

[MoreRewards]

I think a lot of them live with their parents (judging by their age) so probably don't have to worry much about it.

But who knows just me probably over thinking it although I have heard it from people before when they see someone use credit they assume it's because they can't afford the purchase.

[longtimelurker]

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@MoreRewards wrote:
I think a lot of them live with their parents (judging by their age) so probably don't have to worry much about it.

But who knows just me probably over thinking it although I have heard it from people before when they see someone use credit they assume it's because they can't afford the purchase.

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Yes, I remember hearing people say that about 15 years ago, particularly about groceries, that you are in trouble when you have to use a credit card to buy essentials like groceries (for these people it was acceptable to use for one-off big purchases, like booking a vacation, but even then be careful).

But like my previous comment about not looking down on debit users, on the other side there are people (like me as it happens!) who are amazed that people are smugly using credit cards to get 1, 2 or 5% (capped at $1500) on purchases, when they could be simply using them to manufacture spend and earn thousands a month.    People do different things, and it's all (more or less) ok!

[Roarmeister]

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@youdontkillmoney wrote:

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@Roarmeister wrote:

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@youdontkillmoney wrote:

When someone uses an AmEx Centurion or other luxury card, they feel good about it, the status and brand is part of the reason they use it.

I wonder if there are cards out there that you use that have the opposite effect. Cards that you think or feel tell the world that your credit is not so perfect, usually it's those "no name" cards no one has heard about, for example, First Premiere Bank, etc?

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I have absollutely NO emotion whatsoever upon presenting one card or the other.  Its just a transaction.  My only thoughts are what are the benefits from using this particular card.  I don't understand EMBARASSMENT, please elaborate.  And yes I am 100% serious.

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^^^
by embarrassment I mean you know you have bad credit and the credit card you got is only for people with bad credit so when you present/use it, you are embarrassed that people recognize it is a card for people with bad credit and think negatively about you. On the flip side, someone may feel good about having a premium card, for example, the other day I used my AMEX platinum and the cashier said "you must have good credit" or in another situation soneone in line behind me kept staring at my AMEX platinum when I was using it out of curiousity or thinks my income bracket is high enough for an ALEX platinum or when I use my Merrill + card the cashier may say "I like the bull on your card". So by embarrassed I mean the opposite of these situations that stroke your ego.

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The only time I've been embarrassed is when I hit my limit or drained by bank account and couldn't pay for a transaction (and that was years ago).  Even when I had much lower limits, it was never an emotional or embarrassing experience.  The emotion comes purely from actually making the purchase not in using any particular card.

[bobbay]

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@xgac12x wrote:

Sometimes when I am with people etc, I feel like they automatically think I am in a ton of CC debt, when I am not. Just love getting paid to spend money in a sense? (2% cashback, Fidelity Amex )

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I think most people think anyone with a ton of cards is a credit card junkie/in alot of debt.  I never had alot of cards prior to being on this site.  I also find myself self concious when i open my wallet and try to figure out what card will give me the best reward and think the people waiting for me are probably thinking this person is trying to figure out what card is not maxed out...LOL.

Truth is I have never been in a financially better shape

[bobbay]

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@juggalo9er wrote:

with the exception of the one post from someone i assume works for a motel......i am sure that cashier makng close to minimum really cares about whats in your wallet, moreless what you chose to pay with

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If people didn't care the credit card companies would stop trying to promote elite status, Centurion, WEMC, Signature, gold, Platinum, Palladium ect.  Dont kid yourself almost everyone cares some don't show it, some don't admit it...even to themselves.

So to the op, I would say some are embarrased, some are not, and many would not admit that they are self concious, but I am willing to speculate most are.  Those are my .02 cents.