Throughout the generations, man practices various forms of compensation in exchange for goods or services rendered. From the simple barter, spending power progressed to various forms of currency which ran through a gamut of precious stones and metals. Possibly due to increasing value and demand, the logical step was to turn to a material which possessed no value in its base form barring a ruler's face and numbers emblazoned atop. Paper currency hence took the world by storm as every nation churned out its version, complete with national flora and fauna to accompany said ruler.
Credit cards later made their appearance as the principle of consuming first and paying later was stretched into a practice of settling a payment nearly a month post service. It then became the rage of all ages as one possessed the spending power minus the cash. The term of putting it on the tab thus achieves mainstream status as more of the consumer market is drawn into its embrace. Many sign up with various providers with enticing gifts and offers, each promising to outdo the other. The Darwinian principle is evident in the design of wallets and purses as they evolve with the times to provide more slots for extra plastic.
Owning credit cards also used to be an indication of exclusivity as only the elite were entitled to join the club. As rules become more flexible, countless options join the marketing foray. Intruding into territory once held by banks, retail outlets of all brands and sizes come up their line of offerings for better discounts and deals. It takes a strong-willed consumer to fend off the bombardment as weaker ones lie fallen with overstuffed pocketbooks.
Nothing is certain but death and taxes. With increased spending power, loyalty becomes questionable in the face of attractive terms for balance transfers. With the readiness of online facilities, the numbers change hand at digital speed.