Dear Harry: I got into credit trouble as soon as I got my first job. I felt as though I could buy anything I wanted and spread out the payments so it would be easy to keep up. That didn't work too well, and after a year or so I had to file for bankruptcy. That was about five years ago. I have not had a credit card since. My bank is now offering me a debit card to make it safer and less inconvenient to make purchases than to use cash. My father told me that you have always had serious reservations about these cards. Why do you say that are they less desirable than credit cards? I know a restaurant owner who loves them.

What Harry says: When you use a credit card, you are in essence borrowing the money from the issuer. When you use a debit card, the charge comes out of your checking account in the same way as issuing a check, but a lot faster because the account is hit electronically. If you have trouble with an item on your credit-card bill, the issuer has a personal interest in getting the situation resolved because its money is involved. On a debit card, it's your money so their efforts are not so prompt nor so diligent. You also get to hold your money longer with a credit card. Your restaurant-owner friend is not in the same position as one of his customers. He gets charged less for the acceptance of the debit card than for a credit card. Try getting a credit card, even if it comes with a low credit limit and a high interest rate. As long as you pay your balance in full during the grace period, it will be a good way to rebuild your creditworthiness in addition to the other advantages I have outlined.

Write Harry Gross c/o the Daily News, 400 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19130. Harry urges all his readers to give blood: Contact the American Red Cross at 800-GIVE LIFE.