For consumers reeling from a series of economic body blows, debit cards are increasingly becoming the plastic of choice. Some use the cards, which pull money directly from a bank or other account, as a budgeting tool to limit spending. Others are embracing them out of necessity as banks clamp down on credit. All told, debit purchases are expected to climb 13% in 2008, to $1.2 trillion, according to The Nilson Report, an industry newsletter—compared with a 3% rise, to $1.9 trillion, for credit-card transactions.

Come to think of it, the Payday Pundit used his debit card more than his credit card.

If your credit is poor and you can’t get a credit card and you rely on debit you can quickly get into trouble

Today, most banks will approve even the smallest debit card purchase — then hit you with a fee of $35 or more.

Yet we don’t hear howling about that kind of predatory lending….