When you use a debit card, the amount of money from that purchase is taken directly from your checking account in almost real time. When you use a credit card, the amount will be charged to your line of credit, meaning you will pay the bill at a later date, which also gives you more time to pay. But this can also be dangerous, since it’s harder to gauge how much that was spent, and easily forgotten to stay within your budget if you’re not careful. Long term debts can occur if credit cards are not used and calculated properly.