Credit cards were once reserved for emergencies or big purchases. For a growing share of Americans, they've become the default way to pay for groceries.
A 2026 survey of 2,000 U.S. adults with at least $10,000 in unsecured debt, conducted by Atomik Research for Accredited Debt Relief, found that 66% have used a credit card to cover the cost of groceries in the past year — more than any other everyday expense. Gas or transportation followed at 47%, utilities at 45%, and rent or housing costs at 33%.
Not an Occasional Habit
For most respondents, this isn't a rare workaround. Forty-two percent say they regularly use a credit card or borrowed money to cover essentials like groceries, gas, or utilities, and another 29% do so occasionally — meaning roughly 7 in 10 people lean on credit for basic costs at least some of the time.
A separate Accredited Debt Relief survey of 2,000 U.S. adults with unsecured debt, conducted by Drive Research, found a similar pattern from a different angle: Among people carrying credit card debt, 70% say the majority of their current balance came from ordinary day-to-day expenses like groceries, gas, and utilities — not from overspending or large purchases. Only 23% pointed to a large planned purchase, such as a car or vacation, as the main driver.
Renters Feel It Most
The pattern is even more pronounced among renters. In the Drive Research survey, 72% of renters said everyday expenses — the highest share of any group measured — were the main reason their credit card balance grew, compared to 70% of respondents overall.
The Trade-Off Shows Up at the Grocery Store, Too
The reliance on credit for groceries cuts both ways. To keep up with debt payments over the past year, 45% of respondents in the Drive Research survey said they had cut back on necessities like groceries or household essentials — the single most common sacrifice reported. Among teachers specifically, that figure rose to 54%.
Taken together, the two surveys describe a cycle: Credit cards cover the grocery bill when income falls short, and then groceries are often the first thing cut back on to make the resulting credit card payment.
Methodology
Figures are drawn from two Accredited Debt Relief surveys: the 2026 Everyday Debt Survey (Atomik Research, 2,000 U.S. adults with at least $10,000 in unsecured debt, fielded May 11-14, 2026) and the 2026 Debt Impact Survey (Drive Research, 2,000 U.S. adults with unsecured debt, published June 2026). Both carry a margin of error of approximately ±2% at a 95% confidence level.
This story was produced by Accredited Debt Relief and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.