Whether by design or sheer repetition, many consumers have memorized their debit or credit card numbers. That may be a handy piece of knowledge, but those who know their card numbers also tend to spend more—and rack up more debt.
A survey from Western & Southern Financial Group found that nearly a third of Americans surveyed have memorized at least one debit or credit card number. What’s more, 20% of respondents who know their card numbers spend more than $500 per month online, compared to just 13% of those who haven’t. They also carry, on average, 10% more debt than non-memorizers.
Generational Differences
The survey found a significant generation gap, with almost half of respondents who memorize their card numbers falling into the millennial group. Overall, more than a third of millennials have memorized at least one card number.
The reasons people gave for memorizing their numbers also varied across generations. More than two-thirds of Gen Z respondents said they did so to make online shopping easier, while, 20% of baby boomers memorized their card numbers specifically to avoid using digital wallets.
Gen Z was also the most likely to feel that knowing their card numbers led to more impulse buying and overspending. In contrast, a third of the baby boomers were the most likely to report that memorizing their card numbers had improved their financial discipline.
There is some evidence that memorization goes hand in hand with responsible behavior. A total of 70% of memorizers checked their credit card or bank statements at least weekly, compared to 61% of non-memorizers.
However, impulse buying was also slightly more common among memorizers. Roughly 26% made unplanned purchases, compared to 23% of non-memorizers. Memorizers were also somewhat more likely to shop when stressed.
Security Throws Up Roadblocks
The most common reason respondents gave for memorizing their card numbers was simply frequent use. However, this may become less common, as new security measures are making it harder for users to keep these numbers in their head.
The Apple Card’s Advanced Fraud Protection feature, for instance, automatically rotates the three-digit security code after the number is viewed in their Apple Wallet or auto-filled in Safari, making it impossible to memorize. Unlike other credit cards, Apple Card’s security code is stored in the Wallet app, not on the physical card.
