Nearly half of Americans prefer debit over credit cards, but that's not necessarily good

Americans and credit cards go together like apple pie and ice cream.

The 'buy now, pay later' mentality has us forgetting we do eventually have to pay later. Perhaps that's why the average household has over $8,000 dollars in credit card debt, according to Wallethub.

But maybe all this debt is making us change to 'buy now, pay now.'

A new study by NerdWallet says 44 percent of Americans say they mostly use debit cards to buy things such as food and gas. That’s compared to 34 percent who primarily use credit cards.

Temptation is a real struggle, and Amazon is one click away from charging the plastic.

While debit cards help control spending, credit cards still have value. For one, it builds credit. Each time you pay off your bill on time your credit card score takes a positive hit. So don’t be one of the 24 percent of Americans who apparently think debit cards will boost your credit score.

Debit cards also don’t come with rewards. Cash back when you use a credit card can add up and extra miles for a new card sign up.

Still, credit cards aren’t for everyone, especially those without the funds to back up their purchases.

Twenty-five percent of those in the study said credit cards give them anxiety. Who wants more anxiety in their life? Still, it’s good to weigh the pros and cons of both.

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