Fifth Grade
Worksheets
Using Your Debit or ATM Card
Josh got a card in the mail from his bank. It looked just like a credit card. It was attached to a piece of paper that told him his PIN, or personal identification number. Josh wondered what the card was for. He decided to go to the bank and ask.
When he got to the bank, Kate, one of the office workers, waved to him. She had been helping Josh set up and use his checking account. "Hi!" Kate exclaimed. "I haven't seen you in a while. How are things going with your new checking account?"
"Just fine, so far," Josh replied. "I got this card in the mail today with a PIN on the paper it was attached to. Can you explain to me what it is?"
"Oh, that's your debit card," Kate told him. "Come into my office, and we'll talk about it."
Josh followed Kate into her office. They sat down. Kate began to explain what a debit card was. She told Josh there were two ways to use it.
"You can buy things with it," Kate explained. "When you go to the store, you can use it almost like a credit card." She went on to tell Josh that he could use the debit card at gas stations, stores, and other places that would accept it.
"How does it work?" Josh asked.
Kate told him that when it came time to pay, he would swipe his card through the card machine at the check out. Then the machine would ask him for his PIN. He should use the number pad to punch in his PIN, and the transaction would go through.
Kate said he could even get some money back if he needed some. He could tell the cashier or key in the amount himself, depending on the system the store used. She said the cashier would help him if he needed it. In any case, the cashier would give him money back, even though he didn't pay with cash.
