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With all those credit card offers flooding your mailbox and television constantly pounding you on unbelievable rates that make you seem like an idiot if you don’t sign up, people very easily forget that there are other alternatives to credit cards. Below, I’ll explain five alternative optinos to credit card use that you probably already know but don’t really consider enough.

Credit cards are so very convenient and this convenience is far too addictive. If you consider other alternatives, you may find yourself in less debt. Furthermore, these other possibilities may give you an edge in dealing with credit card usage, avoiding over-spending as well as monitoring your budget. There are other ways than using a credit card, let’s begin by explaining them.

1. Look for credit unions: credit unions are an easier alternative, since they are owned by your local community. They are very cooperative and is a great alternative to looking for a loan from a bank. They are limited by law from the amount of interest they’re allowd to charge, which means they often don’t make revenue from their loans. Furthermore, there aren’t as many shareholders as there are in banks and thereby not as much pressure from them. It’s a good alternative, check it out.

2. Bank overdrafts: banks offer overdrafts for when you are in need of money. Once you qualify for bank overdrafts, they limit your account based on how much you deposit into it every month. You can, of course, go into the negatives and the red zones, but don’t do that! Bank overdrafts come with high interest, but it’s definitely not as high as credit cards.

3. Oldschool Loans: traditional loans are advantageous when you’ve decided to purchase something with a fixed price. For example, you’ve decided to renovate your house and have written down all your expense charts for such a task. Your next step would be to consulting your bank or lender with your budgeting descriptions of the renovation and they’ll be able to provide you that suitable loan. It’s much more advantageous this way than with a credit card because of its high interest rate because these lenders are aware of your exact reason for using this loan. In addition, they’ll be able to work together with you in establishing a suitable payment schedule.

4. Debit Cards: Remember debit cards? They’re accepted almost anywhere that credit cards are and you aren’t billed at the end of the month. THey’re pretty much like digital cash–once you use it, the money is taken out immediately from your card to make that purchase. It’s an alternative that will help you avoid that debt.

5. Pre-paid credit cards: In order to use these cards, you have to have already deposited money into it. Much like a debit card, you can use credit cards anywhere. The difference is that you need to top off the card before you can make those large purchases. You’ll be forced to carry positive balances, you’ll never go into the negative. If you can’t afford it, you just can’t buy it. It’ll put your spending into high control.

With this in mind, avoid using credit cards. They’re just a burden waiting to happen. You’ve got five other alternatives, what are you waiting for? Make the right choice