A growing number of consumers, especially young people , are a
dopting more Western habits when it comes to spending money—by favoring credit cards over savings.
A survey of 11,500 people in 18 cities by The Nielson Company found the credit card market had witnessed a major change in recent years.
“Today’s consumer is clearly not interested in saving for a rainy day, as may have been the case in the past,” Bega Ng, director of financial services research with the company said. “Consumers have been adopting Western habits and attitudes in almost every way—including saving and spending habits. Consumers in their 20s spend tomorrow’s cash to fund today’s needs.”
The report found consumers aged 18 to 24 were the most eager credit card users.
Although the report did not give the amounts credit card users in each of the 18 cities spent, it mentioned the example of Xiamen, a coastal city in Fujian Province, where consumers put an average of 50 percent of their monthly incomes into their credit card accounts to indulge(沉湎于) in cashless shopping.
Included in the survey for the first time, Xiamen is reported to have a fast growing penetration rate(渗透率) for credit cards, with four out of ten consumers now owning at least one card. With more than half of cardholders in Xiamen owning two or more cards, it is catching up with key “tier one” cities, the report said. The report did not make known the figures in major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
Last year, the same Nielson survey showed Shanghai had the biggest population of credit card holders, with citizens owning 1.8 credit cards on average. Half of them use credit cards at least once a week, the survey said.
Yunfei, 30, from Beijing, said she spent at least 2,000 yuan a month by credit cards, most of which went on daily necessities and dining out.
小题1:Which of the following best shows the young urbanites’ idea of consumption?
A．Using credit cards in every way.
B．Spending tomorrow’s cash for today’s needs.
C．Owning more cards for cashless shopping.
D．Saving money for future use.小题2:How is the situation of credit card use in Xjamen?
A．Forty percent of the consumers own at least one card.
B．Credit card users use up most of their monthly income.
C．The number of credit card users is larger than that in Guangzhou.
D．Over half of the consumers use two or more cards.小题3:Which city had the largest number of credit card users according to a previous survey?
A．Xiamen.
B．Beijing.
C．Shanghai.
D．Guangzhou.小题4:What is the main idea of the survey reported by Nielson Company?
A．Most credit card users are young people aged 18 to 24.
B．Western habits have a big influence on the Chinese people.
C．The number of credit card users is growing rapidly in Chinese cities.
D．Chinese consumers are no more interested in saving money.
