Have you tried renting a car, or getting a hotel room, or ordering something online with just cash? It's becoming less of an option in today's marketing environment, even checks are getting harder to pass these days. It's only a matter of time before even cash will become obsolete because it will be easier for sellers to keep track of accounts using credit or debit cards. Merchants certainly do everything they can to discourage cash use, including aggressive discounting. I rely heavily on credit cards, but I never use them for credit. I pay my bill in full on time every time. But everyone sooner or later needs credit, even if only for an emergency. It isn't always possible to refuse playing the game by someone elses' rules.