Story: Spending in the economy

Credit cards (1st of 2)

Credit cards

Although access to credit via cards increased in the early 2000s, people were relatively restrained in their use of credit cards. A significant number of people never bought on credit, and 32% of those who did paid off their cards in full each month. Despite the ready availability of the cards, most consumers used only one or two.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Dominion Post Collection (PAColl-7327)
Reference: EP/1993/3678/11
Photograph by John Nicholson

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Paul Dalziel, 'Spending in the economy - Economic reform from 1984', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/21635/credit-cards (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Paul Dalziel, published 11 Mar 2010, updated 16 Sep 2016