Please link your debit or credit card to complete your purchase

[_osep_]

I am fairly new to PayPal, and wanted to purchase some items just to know how to in future. I was looking to purchase some items. When I proceed to the payment section and I click on PayPal as my method, I am told that: "Please link a debit or credit card to complete your purchase". I have a few questions about this?

1. Why is this needed? I have sufficient funds in my account for what I want to purchase and I don't see why I should do this. 

2. Does this purchase link the card used to my account? In the event of PayPal needing to take money from my account and having insufficient amount in my PayPal account in future, will this allow PayPal to take money from my bank account? Or is this just a 1-time thing that won't have any long-term effects on my account?

3. Does this allow money to be taken from my bank account at the point of purchase? I do have sufficient amounts for my specific purchase, and I only want money to be taken from my PayPal.

Please respond if you know the answer to any 1 of these questions, it will help me and my PayPal experience greatly?

[kernowlass]

@_osep_ 

You can use funds in your balance of course as long as they are in the correct currency.

However Paypal like you to add and confirm a bank account or card to verify your Paypal account and provide a back up funding source.

You actually never need funds in your balance if you don't want to bother as Paypal will auto-deduct from any linked or confirmed bank or card (whichever you choose).

If you buy something and don't have enough in your balance then paypal will offer you the option of using your bank or card to 'top up' before you click to pay.

You can select your preferred funding source here >>>>>
Click on the profile tab (icon next to log out) > Click on payments third option along on the thick blue band top of page > second down click on update next to your preferred way to pay and put a dot in one of the options listed.