Because when you spend someone else's money you still have to pay it back... sometimes more.

A bank is a lot smarter than me. It wouldn't want me to use credit cards if it were in my advantage.

You have to pay it back… one month later. You can keep your own money safe and invested until then. And you don’t have to pay any more if you pay it on time.

The bank wants you to use credit because they get paid by the merchant every time you do.

> You have to pay it back… one month later. You can keep your own money safe and invested until then.

But if you're doing this every month then the advantage is what? ~$3k invested somewhere? It's not worth the extra effort for me.

Not the original poster, but I don't want to spend my limited time on earth trying to minimize the money I'm leaving on the table -- thinking about credit cards, points, money systems and wheeling and dealing in order to eke out a little extra scratch is thinking I would personally rather put toward nearly anything else.

That's why I would rather spend my own money when someone is willing to lend it to me for free.

Because I don't want a loan, even if it's for free.

Well up to you but that’s irrational - it’s leaving money on the table and what’s more you’re actually paying for my free loan and my cash back and my protection and my free flights and not getting anything yourself, as I’m paying the same price for products as you.

It's not irrational, there's a whole bunch of other things you're not considering. For example, a debt creates a financial obligation and as such it diminishes one's personal autonomy. People who value their personal autonomy will take that into consideration before going into debt.

Its incredibly irrational.

You're shipping a ton of personal baggage under "personal autonomy".

Why even take part in economic transactions at that point. If your definition of autonomy is that extreme, the concept that someone might have something you want but don't have must be a alien concept

My definition of personal autonomy is extreme? What definition? Why do you think it's irrational to assess how getting into debt affects my personal autonomy?

Arent you in debt to your stomach?

You need to eat.

Only when you skip lunch.