Is your credit card making you fat?

Posted Jul 8th 2007 4:30PM by Zac Bissonnette
Filed under: Internet, Columns, Personal Finance

I've heard lots of excuses for weight gain -- depression, stress, work, injuries, kids, but this is a new one: Blame your credit cards!

According to a piece on BankRate, people tend to spend more when they use a credit card instead of cash, and that also applies to food purchases: "A Visa study of 100,000 restaurant transactions found that customers spent, on average, 30% more than those who paid with cash. That 30% can be the difference between a small order of fries and soft drink and a supersize order, or it can be the addition of a high-calorie dessert."

That an increase in the size of the check at a restaurant would lead to an increase in consumption is a no-brainer. So here's a diet tip: Pay cash when dining out. It'll keep your wallet heavier and you body lighter.

Tags: credit cards, CreditCards, diet, food, obesity, spending, weight

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

7-12-2007 @ 10:41PM

anthony spikes said...

Is it that consumers are aware that we consume more when we use credit, that the thought of spending more on take-out or restaurants seem reasonble? It is abvious to us all that we dospend more when we do have cash ibn our hand. I support this concept that our credit cards are making us fat.