Credit Card Today

: To settle the bill, his wife had to drive down and pay for him, an embarrassment he didn't want to repeat.

: In the 1960s, IBM designers struggled to attach magnetic tape to cards until an engineer's wife suggested ironing it on , which worked and paved the way for modern swiping. A Useful Lesson: The "Freeloader" Paradox credit card

The modern credit card was actually born from an awkward moment at a dinner table in 1949. The "First" Card: A Forgotten Wallet : To settle the bill, his wife had

Secret History Of The Credit Card - Interviews | FRONTLINE - PBS : To settle the bill

: A few months later, he returned to that same restaurant and paid using a small cardboard card—the Diners Club card .