Debit Cards and Overdraft Protection

After missing monthly payments on credit cards too many times, or charging more than you could afford and racking up credit card debt, a logical decision would be to scrap the Amex and pick up a debit card. Since with debit cards you theoretically can only spend as much as you have in your bank account and there aren't monthly balances (since the money is in theory deducted right when you spend it), this strategy should avoid overspending and missed due dates, right? Not necessarily. Enter overdraft fees, the topic of this week's New York Times article: Overspending on Debit Cards Is a Boon for Banks >