paper or plastic?

On Friday, June 13th, I did it again.  I frustrated a bank teller by not having a debit card.  It takes twice as long to help me, and they usually need to see my driver's license.  I have tried to avoid keeping the plastic (credit or debit) in my wallet for the past few years for numerous reasons:

1. I want to keep track of my money.
2. My checkbook works just fine.
3. A little person, one of my tech savvy sisters for example, just might have a shopping spree on American Girl's website at my expense.  You never can tell.
4. Did I mention I don't trust myself?

I have discovered, however, that this is counter-cultural.  Checks have become rather arcane, in the left corner I might as well have my name and "521 N. Cave" as an address.

Have you seen the Mastercard commercials?  You see shoppers in a store, all happily swiping credit and debit cards.  Everything is running smoothly, a well-oiled machine... until someone pulls out cash, or heaven forbid, a check.  The loser who writes the check looks extremely sheepish, like they just discovered that not only have they written a check, they are also in their underwear.  They quickly exit with their purchases and the machine continues to run and the birds start to sing again.

A young clerk at Whole Foods near my school insulted me once when I wrote a check.  He asked me if I was really that stingy that I needed to write one.  I can't remember if stingy was the word but whatever it was it was synonymous with tightwad, miserly, penny-pincher, or scrooge.  I explained that I just wanted to keep track of the little money that I had.  I don't think he understood.  I forgave him.

That's okay, soon I will use my thumb to pay for things... or maybe my iPod or cell phone.

I worry about things like plastic money cards because as I have said before, I want to be a good steward of my money, and worry that my tithing habits will be destroyed.  I do know though, that most people who tithe have survived plastic.  I just don't want to be the servant that fails the Master with my talents.

Unfortunately, on Friday I caved and got a debit card so that I do not ruin my witness to the bank tellers anymore.

I am giving control of my finances to my Heavenly Father, and asking Him to make me wise. 

 And trust me, if plastic is a problem, I have no qualms about shredding it.