Credit cards 'used to pay bills that would otherwise go unpaid'

A significant number of Aussies view credit cards as a vital means of supplementing their spending.

Just under a fifth (17 per cent) of those questioned in the latest Dun & Bradstreet national consumer credit expectations survey claim to have used credit cards to pay for bills which they would have otherwise been unable to afford.

However, it is possible that that an increasing number of people may look to do this in the wake of the festive season as a quarter of consumers claim to have spent too much money over the Christmas period.

Indeed, 18 per cent of respondents claim they are looking to apply for new credit.
Just under a tenth (seven per cent) claim that they expect to miss a demand for payment as a result of overdoing it when splashing the cash.

"The survey shows that high income families and young people are comfortable taking on new debt, despite tougher economic conditions and more stringent lending standards," Christine Christian, chief executive for Dun & Bradstreet, points out.

The benefits of using a credit card were recently celebrated by former tennis pro John Alexendar, who claims to have used such product for over 40 years while travelling the world playing the sport.

A significant number of Aussies view credit cards as a vital means of supplementing their spending.

Just under a fifth (17 per cent) of those questioned in the latest Dun & Bradstreet national consumer credit expectations survey claim to have used credit cards to pay for bills which they would have otherwise been unable to afford.

However, it is possible that that an increasing number of people may look to do this in the wake of the festive season as a quarter of consumers claim to have spent too much money over the Christmas period.

Indeed, 18 per cent of respondents claim they are looking to apply for new credit.

Just under a tenth (seven per cent) claim that they expect to miss a demand for payment as a result of overdoing it when splashing the cash.

"The survey shows that high income families and young people are comfortable taking on new debt, despite tougher economic conditions and more stringent lending standards," Christine Christian, chief executive for Dun & Bradstreet, points out.

The benefits of using a credit card were recently celebrated by former tennis pro John Alexendar, who claims to have used such product for over 40 years while travelling the world playing the sport.