Many people make the mistake of confusing debit cards with credit cards. Debit cards may look like credit cards, but they act like checks. Once a debit card is used, the amount is immediately deducted from your checking or savings account. The debit card eliminates the need for carrying cash, but it does not extend credit. Debit cards may be used as guaranteed check cashing cards. In contrast, credit cards defer your payment until you are billed.

Some cards can be used to withdraw money from automatic teller machines (ATM). Beware of fees eating up your money if you use your ATM card frequently for small withdrawals. Some financial institutions charge their customers a set fee for a certain number of transactions. Other institutions charge for each ATM use. If you get cash at an ATM machine that is not part of your financial institution’s network, the fees could be as much as $8 per transaction.

Parents might want to introduce their children (ages 13 to 17) to prepaid debit cards such as Pocket Card, American Express Cobaltcard, and Visa Buxx, by funding a card that has a spending limit established by parents. Parents supply the funds and can use the cards to teach their children how to track how the money is spent. This parent-controlled card is designed to help parents teach their teens about using credit in a controlled environment.