I hope I never have money problems

[MODU]

That is why you live within your means and save/invest properly.  Additionally, if/when you get married, both parties need to maintain a personal savings account and a joint account.  That way, both parties can save up a safety net for themselves independently in case the unimaginable occurs.

[MODU]

i think everyone, or most everyone has money problems at some point in life.

i bet even people like modu have had money problems in the past, before he got into the lucrative field of war-profiteering. 

hahaha . . . well, each person has their own history.  Back when you were being paid only $543/month, you learned how to stretch a dollar, but even then you had to carry a balance on your credit card in order to meet ends meet.  Switching from the Navy to sailing commercially was a big relief financially, but just because I started making nearly twice my income didn't mean I could begin to spend twice as much as before.  Knowing that you could wait a year or two for the latest flashy item and save hundreds or thousands without really missing out on anything major is a big key for younger shoppers.  If your PS2 still works and games still come out for the system, there isn't an Earth-shattering need to go out and buy a PS3 the first month it is released.  Etc...

As far as credit cards go, Mike, it is good to have one or two cards where you have a small monthly charge.  Say for example that you subscribe to AOL, using your credit card as payment.  If the AOL payment is your only monthly charge on the card, set up an auto-payoff with your credit card/bank to establish and maintain a positive credit history.  That would go further than paying off your car in cash, for example, since a credit review will show that a) you do spend on credit, and b) you are responsible enough to pay off your debts in a timely fashion.

[MODU]

BLUF: DO NOT GET A CREDIT CARD

Some of the worst advice ever. Credit cards are an excellent tool to use in life because of their convenience. Instead of walking inside the gas station and pre-paying, you just swipe the card, instead of carrying around a wad of cash to buy groceries, you just swipe the card, etc. The problem comes when people use them as some sort of "free money" or cash advance and end up paying the minimum payment every month while their finance charges and purchases add up. The trick is to pay off your balance with each bill, and if you can't, spend less with the credit card. I have a relatively small credit limit ($300) so that restrains anything gigantic I'd be tempted to charge, but I still usually end up with a $150 bill each month from buying books and tickets online, purchasing gas, and my Netflix subscription. However my most recent paycheck always covers the balance owed so I don't have to dig into my savings to pay for things.

In your example, a debit card is the better tool for such transactions.  You don't incur any interest debt associated with your transactions, plus you don't risk losing track of your expenditures by overspending.  Too many people think "I can put it on the credit card and pay it off at the end of the month," only to be surprised by how much they actually spent.  This happened to my sis-in-law a few years ago.  And since you are using your debit card, you know how much money is remaining in your account with a simple click online.  Noticing how much money is left to be spent is a good way to help restrain from spending too much money on insignificant items like candy, drinks, dvds, (insert any other age-appropriate items which kids might spend their money on these days) etc.