Visa's financial results show how our spending has changed

Mammoth credit-card issuer Visa turned a profit in its fiscal fourth quarter for the year, due largely in part to the new way consumers are spending.

While cost cutting contributed to the company's $514 million -- that's 69 cents per share -- profit, so did the growing use of debit cards.

According toUSA Today, overall spending with Visa cards dropped by 2%, a result of Americans continuing to look for ways to spend less.