Using a credit card and getting the rebates/points/miles/extended warranties, etc. is a great deal . . . as long as you pay it off each month! I buy just about everything on cc, even utility bills that do not charge extra for the service, then pay it off each and every month. It is a great feeling for me to know the credit is available in an emergency.
For those who use debit cards, though, a word of caution . . . if you use it and the vendor makes an error and double charges the card, it may take a few days to get the money refunded to your account (a very dear friend of mine experienced this recently). If the error had occured with a credit card, he could have simply disputed the charge and the credit card company could have resolved it with the vendor.
Free financing is great, too (the 18 months or whatever "interest free") but be absolutely certain to budget for the purchase so it can be paid off entirely at the end of the free interest period! Those lenders through the furniture places probably make a ton sticking it to people who forget or plan poorly . . . read the fine print for the rate that will apply (and the interest is normally charged back to the day of the purchase!)
With cash, I can walk around with the same $60 in my wallet for weeks
