The Chinese are credited with coming up with numerous
inventions including gunpowder, umbrellas, chopsticks,
paper and paper money.
Lamentably, (from Chinese point of view) the honors of
coming up with plastic money went with early American
capitalists.
From the time John Biggins, the inventor of a first
bank issued card, had his first eureka moment in 1946,
credit cards have evolved to become one of the most
versatile ways of paying, and this is why. Once issued
with one, the need to carry around unsafe, dirty and
bulky cash is significantly diminished.
I say diminished because some small scale merchants
(who perhaps are scared of technology) will still
insist on being paid in cash. Further, credit cards
enables you to build up a credit history, but only if
you always pay on time.
In some countries such as UK, if you buy goods using a
credit card and the goods turn out to be faulty, they
are usually insured for a period of time, say two
months, and you can be indemnified even for total
loss.
Credit cards are safe, and even if gun-totting
miscreants help themselves to your wallet, you can
make hit back by simply calling the credit card
company and canceling the stolen card.
Another thing going for credit cards is that you can
keep track of your transactions, and it’s thus easy to
keep track of your expenditure. I could go on and on,
and whatever the doomsday prophets say, plastic money
is here to stay.
