A portable terminal operates to cause financial transfers responsive to data read from data bearing records in the form of user cards. The user cards include credit and/or debit cards. Data corresponding to the card data is stored in at least one memory of the terminal. The terminal includes a wireless communication device. The terminal operates to wirelessly communicate data corresponding to card data to one or more remote computers to cause financial transfers to or from selected accounts. The terminal also operates to provide outputs corresponding to account balances and to receive data corresponding to receipts.