When you visit a retail store these days, you probably didn’t notice the war going on behind the scenes. Banks and retailers are going at it over debit cards, and we – the customers – are the pawns in the game. Basically, banks are trying to get people to use their debit card like a credit card because they make more money when you do it that way. Banks are offering all kinds of rewards and trips if you’ll sign for a charge instead of entering your pin when you make a purchase. Banks get just pennies when people enter their pin number. In turn, retailers are livid and are doing all kinds of things to get you to punch in your PIN. According to the Wall Street Journal, retailers are reprogramming their registers so the code option automatically pops up and customers are more inclined to do it that way. So, what’s it all mean to you? Eventually, banks will get more of your money if you swipe your card like a credit card. Merchants will start charging more money for items to make up for their cost, and customers will suffer for it. If you use a debit card and you’re being asked to punch in a code, it will help you in the long run. You can ask to use your card as a credit card; that is your option. But it may end up hurting you more in the system. Clark hopes the whole system breaks up and debit cards become a thing of the past. We’ll keep you posted.