How did credit cards affect consumer spending?
Matthew Harrington
Updated on February 02, 2026
Specifically, the borrowing features of the card allowed cardholders to pay for goods with loaned money, which encouraged more spending with greater efficiency, synchronized cash flows with spending, and eased liquidity constraints that induced future spending.
What are the negative impacts on an individual with a large amount of credit card debt?
High debt can drive a low credit score. A low credit score impacts your ability to get a low rate on loans. Paying higher interest on loans impacts your available cash flow. Having bad credit can also affect your ability to get a job or your ability to rent an apartment or home.
How credit card debt affects the economy?
Debt can sustain an economy, but growth eventually stops when households operate at a loss. When people cannot afford to pay back their credit cards, they need to reduce their standard of living. This is bad for the economy and can lead to periods of recession.
How much money does the average American household owe on credit cards?
Consider these statistics about personal debt in America: The average credit card holder has at least 2.7 cards. The average household credit card debt is $5,315. Total U.S. consumer debt is at $14.9 trillion. That includes mortgages, auto loans, credit cards and student loans.
How much does the average household have in credit card debt?
The average credit card debt of U.S. families is $6,270, according to the most recent data from the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances.
How does credit card debt affect the economy?
Growth Stops. Debt can sustain an economy, but growth eventually stops when households operate at a loss. When people cannot afford to pay back their credit cards, they need to reduce their standard of living. This is bad for the economy and can lead to periods of recession.
What are some spending habits that lead to debt?
Dipping into savings, borrowing from others, and using credit are ways you can spend more money than you bring in. Sooner or later, your hole-digging spending habits will catch up with you. Soon, you’ll deplete your savings, max out your credit cards, and run out of places to borrow money. Keep your spending within your monthly income …
How does paying off a credit card affect your credit score?
Your credit score also takes into account how close your loan balance is to the original loan amount. Paying your loan balances is better for your credit score. Carrying a lot of debt, especially high credit card debt hurts your credit score and your ability to get approved for new credit cards, loans,…
How does credit card debt affect a married couple?
Married couples are different in the eyes of the law, and that extends to the way the law handles outstanding credit card debt. Generally, if you and your spouse are joint account holders on the credit card, then you will be equally liable for the spending on the credit card.