Consumer debt in the U.S. is growing with the increased use of credit cards by more households and with more credit cards per household than in past years. In 1968, the total credit card debt in the U.S. was less than $8 billion, adjusted for inflation. By 2009, Americans had a total credit card debt of $972.73 billion. U.S. households who have credit cards have a rising debt level that is projected to continue rising over the next few years. In 1995, American households that had credit cards had an average credit card debt of $5,800. That rate has risen steadily, and in 2008, American credit cardholding households had $10,679 in credit card debt.