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.
Sources: Accredited Debt Relief 2026 Everyday Debt Survey (Atomik Research) and 2026 Debt Impact Survey (Drive Research).