Take the business debit card advantage Banks and traditional credit-card companies offer a variety of debit cards. Shop for the features that meet your business needs.

I recommend:  Visa check cards and the Debit Business Card from Mastercard offer a helpful small business financial tool that's faster than cash and safer than checks and can be used with a signature wherever the companies' credit cards are accepted.

Know the limitations and the risks Debit cards aren't usually accepted for car rentals or other situations where the amount owed could balloon. Also, linking a debit card to bank accounts containing large amounts of money could be a risk if the card is stolen.

I recommend:  The Myvesta Foundation offers a side-by-side comparison of credit and debit cards.

Think: small purchases Experts say it's best not to make big purchases or to buy by phone or Web with debit cards. That's because it may be difficult to return items that don't meet your satisfaction – and there's no way to withhold payment, such as you have with a credit card or by putting a stop-hold on a check.

I recommend:  The federal Electronic Fund Transfer Act gives debit-card holders some protections, such as the right to dispute an error on a bank statement and $50 liability if you notify your bank within two days of discovering your debit card is missing.