[lrjohnson]

Jesse:

What I'm starting to realize is that a lot of people really do spend more when they have a cc.

I know you don't spend more, and you have done the number crunching to prove it.

I know I don't-I was actually flabbergasted to find out that others spend more with cards, because my experience is that cash runs though me but I pinch like a demon with a credit or debit card.

I am not totally credit card averse-though I am pretty debt averse-but it's starting to sink in for me that some people-I guess they've proven it's most people-spend more when they spend plastic.

If I was in that boat, I'd be wary of rewards and miles, etc. It makes me more understanding of the wariness of cards.

It reminds me of the "pay smallest debt" versus "pay largest interest debt" argument; some people who can see the raw pure numbers think highest interest is uber-obvious, but others know from their own experience that the psycological aspect of knocking off a debt is significant in the process of paying down debt.

(I have to say that $60 isn't little money to me. It's more than two weeks of groceries. It's a month and a half of health insurance premiums. It's more than two tanks of gas. It's a major thrift store spending spree. It's 25 pounds of cheese.)