<prompt> Human: So I should be graduating this winter, and I just want to know if I have a good financial head on my shoulders. My mom always stressed that to not have credit cards, and quite frankly Ive never wanted it although who hasnt been tempted when in money problems?, but how long into my adult life can I go without a credit card?Also, I dont really belong to a bank. Just two credit unions. The problem I foresee, though, is that somewhere in the next couple of years I wont be close in distance at all with either CU. Its already a slight pain in the ass with the first one because I dont live in that state, but its my home-state so my mom still helps me whenever I have inquiries that need immediate attention there.So really, its a two part question: 1 How long in my adult life can I live without a credit card? and 2 Should I get a checking account at a bank along with my two Credit Unions?  <response>: There seem to be a number of people on reddit that think credit cards are evil and should be avoided. Its true that people get themselves into trouble with credit card debt, but theres absolutely no reason a credit card cant be used responsibly. I treat mine like cash and Ive never paid any interest. Get a card that pays cash rewards so its worth your time and you can build some credit history.For checking accounts, the only real issue youd probably face is the lack of surcharge-free ATMs where you are. Theres no reason you cant keep your existing checking accounts, but getting another account with a bank would be good, particularly an online bank that refunds ATM fees like Ally or Schwab Once you do that youll never have to worry about access to your money, no matter where you travel. 