Here’s why you should never lend out your credit card

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Around 35% of people who lent their credit cards to other people have suffered financially because of it, according to a new survey.

The findings from a new CreditCards.com poll show that while card-holders may be responsible consumers, it’s a whole new ballgame when using O.P.P. (other people’s plastic).

Here’s why lending out your credit card could hurt your wallet

The survey examined 2,253 adults, with about 50% of them saying that the people they mostly lent their cards to were their family members like spouses and children. But friends and co-workers also were in the mix.

The consequences of such generosity included people going into debt (19%), not getting repaid (14%) and having their cards lost or stolen (10%).

The takeaway here is that it doesn’t always pay to help somebody out by letting them swipe your card.

“My guess is that a large segment of those individuals are financial enablers,” Brad Klontz, founder of the Financial Psychology Institute, told CreditCards.com. “In an attempt to help somebody, they either loan them money or support them in some way that ends up hurting themselves. And it’s probably feeding some financial dependence or money disorder on the other side.”

Credit card debt is at an all-time high these days, but if you’ve found yourself in debt, there’s hope.

Money expert Clark Howard and team have come up with a way to help you get out of debt by applying some positive peer pressure: We’ve set up a new Facebook group called Ditch Your Debt to give you the support you need to tackle those high balances.

When you sign up, you’ll join more than 3,000 others who have decided to tackle their debt. The sooner you start, the closer you’ll be keeping more money in your pocket!

RELATED: How lenders use your friends to determine your creditworthiness

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