Credit card and other debt rose fast in April, but low unemployment means most Americans are still spending.

An analysis from personal finance company WalletHub found consumers took on an additional $74 billlion in credit card debt in 2024.

It’s a sign that higher prices are still weighing on many household budgets.

The study from the Employee Benefit Research Institute finds many retirees worried they are spending more than they can afford.

A more detailed look at the numbers reveals a more complex picture about Americans’ debt.

More than a quarter of Americans used a credit card to buy groceries last year and did not pay off the balance when it was due.

The credit bureau TransUnion is out with a report showing that borrowers aged 22 to 24 are carrying an average of $2,834 in credit card debt — about a quarter more than millennials in the same age range a decade ago.

Delinquencies are up, especially for people with lower incomes and multiple types of debt, according to the New York Fed.

Just before the pandemic, the New York Fed found that about 9% of people had bills that ended up in collections. Now, less than 5% do.

But what they’re spending their money on is shifting.