A payment method executed by a communication facility (1, 2, N) and at least one data carrier (11, 12, K) for debiting a payment value unit from the data carrier (11, 12, K), in order to pay for a performed service, wherein the following steps are executed: debit from a memory value unit stored in the data carrier (11, 12, K), of a debit value unit sufficient for payment for the maximum service to be performed, wherein a repayment limit stored in the data carrier (11, 12, K) is set, by the data carrier, to the amount of the debited debit value unit; calculation of a credit value unit to be credited back, wherein the payment value unit to be paid for the actually performed service is subtracted from the debited debit value unit: check, by the data carrier (11, 12, K), whether the credit value unit to be credited does not exceed the stored repayment limit, wherein only when it is detected that the credit value unit to be credited does not exceed the stored repayment limit, the credit value unit is credited by adding the credit value unit to the memory value unit stored in the data carrier (11, 12, K), wherein after the crediting of the credit value unit to the data carrier (11, 12, K) the repayment limit stored in the data carrier (11, 12, K) is reduced by at least the credited credit value unit, and wherein before the crediting of the credit value unit to the data carrier (11, 12, K), key information (SI1, SI2) output by the communication facility (1, 2, N) and identifying the communication facility's credit authorization is checked by the data carrier (11, 12, K), and wherein the communication facility (1, 2, 8, N) is authorized to credit the credit value unit up to at most the value of a maximum credit limit if the communication facility has a first credit authorization, and wherein the communication facility (1, 2, N) is authorized to credit the credit value unit up to at most the value of the repayment limit stored in the data carrier (11, 12, K) if the communication facility (1, 2, N) has a second credit authorization. debit from a memory value unit stored in the data carrier (11, 12, K), of a debit value unit sufficient for payment for the maximum service to be performed, wherein a repayment limit stored in the data carrier (11, 12, K) is set, by the data carrier, to the amount of the debited debit value unit; calculation of a credit value unit to be credited back, wherein the payment value unit to be paid for the actually performed service is subtracted from the debited debit value unit: check, by the data carrier (11, 12, K), whether the credit value unit to be credited does not exceed the stored repayment limit, wherein only when it is detected that the credit value unit to be credited does not exceed the stored repayment limit, the credit value unit is credited by adding the credit value unit to the memory value unit stored in the data carrier (11, 12, K), wherein after the crediting of the credit value unit to the data carrier (11, 12, K) the repayment limit stored in the data carrier (11, 12, K) is reduced by at least the credited credit value unit, and wherein before the crediting of the credit value unit to the data carrier (11, 12, K), key information (SI1, SI2) output by the communication facility (1, 2, N) and identifying the communication facility's credit authorization is checked by the data carrier (11, 12, K), and wherein the communication facility (1, 2, 8, N) is authorized to credit the credit value unit up to at most the value of a maximum credit limit if the communication facility has a first credit authorization, and wherein the communication facility (1, 2, N) is authorized to credit the credit value unit up to at most the value of the repayment limit stored in the data carrier (11, 12, K) if the communication facility (1, 2, N) has a second credit authorization.