Using Credit Cards
Are your spending habits different from those of others?
Americans love their credit cards, no matter what their age. But does the way the 50-plus crowd uses plastic differ from that of their younger counterparts?
See also: Will you live a lifetime of debt?
The AARP Bulletin teamed up with the independent research firm ORC International on a national poll. Here are the results.
Americans and Their Credit Card Habits
| Ages 18-49 | 50-plus | |
| How many credit cards do you have? | ||
| None | 34% | 16% |
| 1 | 22 | 18 |
| 2-3 | 28 | 39 |
| 4-5 | 11 | 16 |
| 6-7 | 2 | 6 |
| 8-9 | 1 | 2 |
| 10 or more | 1 | 2 |
| In the last six months, have you missed paying at least the minimum balance on a credit card? | ||
| Yes | 17% | 6% |
| No | 83 | 94 |
| What types of purchases or payments do you make using your credit card? | ||
| Groceries | 60% | 56% |
| Health care | 38 | 44 |
| Travel | 55 | 68 |
| Gas | 65 | 63 |
| Clothing | 62 | 72 |
| Dining out | 65 | 63 |
| Entertainment | 51 | 43 |
| Monthly bills (utilities, phone, etc.) |
33 | 29 |
| Child care | 3 | 1 |
| Car payments | 6 | 4 |
| Insurance | 19 | 19 |
| Home maintenance | 28 | 39 |
| Car maintenance | 40 | 54 |
The results were taken from a survey of 1,019 adults age 18 and older conducted Feb. 23-26, 2012.
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