Is Plastic Still Fantastic in 2011

IS PLASTIC STILL FANTASTIC IN 2011? In the wake of the recession of 2008-2010, the credit card isn't quite as popular as it once was. Still, it remains a major force in the U.S. economy. Below are facts and figures that paint a picture of credit cards in America today. 0123 4567 8910 1112 THE RAW NUMBERS 1.4 BILLION The number of credit cards One card equals 10 milion currently in circulation in the United States. 7.7 The average number of cards each of these people has 181 MILLION Number of people in the United States One person who have a credit card. (That's 77% of the adult population) equals 10 million THE MAJOR PLAYERS 86% of all credit card transactions in the U.S. are made with one of these three cards Percent of transactions Card holders Purchase volume per Debt outstanding In billions In millions card holder VISA 38.5% 111 $7,300 $388 MasterCard 24.3% 98 $5,250 $284 AMERICAN EXPRESS. 23.2% $ 11,300 44 $94 TRANSACTION ACTION DEBT TRENDS Consumers are reducing their debt and increasingly using alternatives to credit cards like debit and prepaid cards. These figures refer to revolving debt; they do not include loans like mortgages. $$$ $$$ In 2009, for Consumer debt is at just over $800 billion in October 2010. Debt hits its 20 $1.9 12.9% peak at nearly the first time on record, debt began to decline. $974 billion in TRILLION Portion of U.S. Gross BILLION Credit card August 2008. Total value of these transactions. Domestic product credit card transactions represent transactions each year. 119 x $88 e $10,500 Consumer debt outstanding rose steadily from 1968 to 2008. Average number of times a person total of each uses a credit card in a year. Average total of credit card purchases in a year. Average of these transactions. '11 SOURCES: NILSON REPORT. ASs REPORTED BY THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU: THE FEDERAL RESERVE 3 IndexCreditCards More credit cards. More choices.