bitcoin is relatively safe, in the long term, don't look at the short term, plenty of manipulation going one, bitcoin need still plenty of time to grow
when everything about its problems will be settled, i beliave you will see the real usage of it, big merchants are waiting that after all, no reason for them to not accept bitcoin
i can tell you witch paying methods are save but the bitcoin isn't at all. That is because the bitcoin isn't real money its an code written by yoour computer so everyone can steal it if they want and if they can. So use paypal instead of bitcoin.