First article refers to credit for "basic necessities" which is a crisis behavior. "Consumers, particularly in the lower-income end, are being forced to use their credit cards for everyday spending like gas and food,” said Tavares, who’s based in Atlanta. These expenditures are unavoidable and show the effect on "lower-income" people if everybody else stops spending.

Second article records a drop in average consumer debt (not just credit card debt) to $6,472 which is a 17% fall since 2010.

Third article asserts rises all year in credit card debt compared to the big drops after the banksters ran and hid in 2008. I agree that CC debt is the worst because of high interest rates and fees so it's a shame if the poor are having to rely on credit to buy gas and food for the kids while others who enjoyed an easier road to prosperity say "let them eat cake". Maybe we'll be seeing the tumbrils again if that keeps up. ;-)