A novel charge card is a combined debit and credit card. The customer is offered an election of a credit feature or of debit feature. If debit is selected, the customer enters a personal identifier (e.g., a PIN). In the further transaction, the novel process investigates the authorization request to determine whether or not a PIN field contains a PIN value or any field or field entry that may indicate that a “personal identification indicator” was entered at the point of sale. If a personal identifier is present, the transaction is authorized against the available balance in the customer's debit (e.g., checking) account. If the PIN is absent, the transaction is authorized against the available credit on a connected line of credit. In an alternative implementation, the customer is offered an election of a credit feature or of debit feature. In both selections, the customer enters a personal identifier. In the further transaction, the novel process investigates the authorization request to determine whether or not the PIN field contains a value indicating that an identifier was entered at the point of sale. If a PIN is present, the payment authorization message is further investigated to determine whether the “Credit” option or “Debit” option was selected. If “Debit” was selected, the transaction is authorized against the available balance in the customer's debit (e.g., checking) account. If “Credit” was selected, or if the PIN is absent, the transaction is authorized against the available credit on a connected line of credit.