As someone who's been a victim of identity theft multiple times, I know firsthand how important it is to keep your personal information safe, and how frustrating it can be once it's compromised. Here's a valuable tip: If you can't use cash, use credit cards. You should aim to use debit cards only in the event that you need to withdraw money from the ATM. Credit cards offer two key advantages over debit cards: 1. They're safer: Most credit cards these days offer consumers zero liability protection. This means that they're not responsible for any transactions made without their authorization. All fraudulent purchases are removed, thus bringing the cardholder's balance to where it should be. With debit cards, the process isn't as hassle-free. The bank will dig deeper to ensure you didn't make the transactions and will usually require you to fill out and send over paperwork. What's worse, you have to wait for the bank to give you your money b...