Everyone has to avoid getting screwed until a pile of CC debt. While refusing to own one isn't my personal plan, I appreciate people like your mother. She sees the downside as >>>> the upside, and just swears off the entire thing.

Day to day, the only use of my credit card is just buying stuff online - so when my # gets stolen, my money isn't taken out of my bank account (like it would be if I used a debit).