The use of debit cards has become an accepted payment method, with two of three households owning a debit card.

Their checkbook register just doesn't do the job anymore. People literally don't know how much money they have.

I prefer not to use credit cards. So when I can use my debit card, they can take it out of my account immediately, ... That was happening.

This is a tremendous undertaking to try to get debit cards out with $2,000 on them to thousands of people. We've got plenty on hand, and we've got some more on order to make sure that everybody who is in the shelter down there that needs a card gets a card.

Since debit cards can be compromised at illegally modified POS devices and then used to fraudulently withdraw funds from ATMs, it is vital for GASA to monitor crime trends at both POS and ATM terminals. Best practices for POS security are now needed.

Consumers could be in for an even sweeter deal, either getting discounts from retailers for using the PIN debit cards or being rewarded by card network by winning money back for using the signature debit cards.