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Several alternatives exist to using credit cards. Try some of the follow options to reduce the likelihood that you'll get into money trouble.

• ATM cards requiring a personal identification number (PIN): These remove cash directly from your bank account balance.
• Debit cards without PINs: These too are tied directly to your bank balance. Using them in card swipe machines is almost like writing a check.
• "Secured" credit cards: With these cards, you deposit your own money into the account but use it like a credit card. You will pay a monthly bill, just like a real credit card. Secured credit cards provide a means of establishing a credit record, but doing so within a predefined, safe set of boundaries.