Americans are putting groceries and gas on credit, and the debt is piling up

For millions of Americans, putting food on the table increasingly means putting it on a credit card.Groceries, gasoline and utility bills are becoming sources of debt for households that struggle to cover everyday expenses with their paychecks.Using credit cards to pay for necessities is nothing new.

But when households cannot pay their balances in full each month, routine purchases can turn into debt that takes months or years to repay.A 2026 survey commissioned by Accredited Debt Relief found that 66% of respondents had used a credit card to purchase groceries in the previous year.

The survey also found that 29% relied on credit or borrowing every month to make ends meet.When you are buying food and gas on credit and only making minimum monthly payments, it’s a sign that your budget doesn’t have enough incoming cash flow.As the principal on your debt grows, the money you owe in interest can grow larger than your grocery bill.Credit cards were designed to make purchases convenient and provide access to short-term credit.

For consumers who pay their statement balances in full every month, they can offer rewards, purchase protections and an interest-free grace period.The problem begins when credit cards become a substitute for income rather than a payment method.A household that charges $800 in groceries each month and pays the balance in full generally avoids purchase interest.

But if that household can afford to repay only $600, the remaining $200 becomes revolving debt, and the unpaid balance carries over to the next billing cycle.If that pattern continues, the family accumulates $2,400 in additional debt over a year, even before interest charges.And if the cardholder loses the grace period usually offered by credit cards for in-full payments by carrying a balance, new purchases may begin accruing interest immediately.For households already struggling to cover expenses, this creates a problem.

Food and gasoline are consumed long before the debt used to pu...