Another reader, Ashley, pointed out another disadvantage of shunning credit cards: “A reason I have had problems making the switch is that I use Mint.com and if I use cash it can’t track my purchases. I could but always forget to update and next thing I know I don’t remember if I spent $5 on groceries, $10 for a meal and $5 for parking or was it $10 on groceries and $5 on the other two.”

But reader Jenni says there is one major perk of using cash – staying on budget! “A dear friend uses this method All The Time, and she has 3 girls in various activities. Her budget is planned down to the penny, and when they are paid she gets out the cash she will need for the entire month. She bags the cash for their activities and labels them (i.e. “piano”, “ballet”, etc.), then does the same with her bills (“market”, “cleaners”, etc.). She even has a “miscellaneous” baggie for gifts and mishaps. She saves quite a bit of money every month, and she and her hubby are self-employed, so this helps in leaner times. Her spending is never out of control! LOVE her organization.”

With that reassuring comment in mind, and just one day before my self-imposed credit-card moratorium begins, here’s how I am preparing:

* I’ve hidden my two credit cards in my jewelry box so they are out of sight, out of mind.

* I’ve averaged my credit card bills from January, February, and March and set that as my spending limit for April.

* Heading to my local bank branch to withdrawal a fat roll of cash (my average credit spending from the past three months).