The poll, which was conducted by Compete.com’s Shabduli Purav, showed that the most popular frequency of credit card usage by consumers was between one to six times a week. Only 16 percent said they used a card more than that, while 47 percent said they used credit three or less times a month.
“My initial findings were somewhat surprising,” Purav wrote in a blog post for the site. “While credit card usage appears to be frequent and common, our survey indicates that credit cards are still not the primary mode of payment.”
The survey of credit card users shows that the most popular use for credit cards was expenses associated with travel (81 percent) and high-price purchases (77 percent). For small day-to-day expenses, credit cards were the least-popular option at 15 percent, while cash remained king at 64 percent.
The survey also showed that 81 percent of credit card owners also had a debit card. Of these people, women were more likely than men to own both, as were younger people when compare to those 55 and older.
At 45 percent, groceries were the most popular purchase related to debit cards. That was followed by personal items (37 percent) and dining out (36 percent).
Though consumers are still using their credit cards, difficulties experienced in the economy may have driven some to avoid plastic for fear of being in debt. A Federal Reserve Board report showed that 2009 saw revolving consumer credit dropped 9.6 percent.
However, some people who lost jobs may have also had to turn to credit cards in order to pay off daily expenses. Experts advise that people set up an emergency fund so they can avoid having to rely on credit for things like groceries or rent.
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