Consumers say they should have faced credit card debt

In retrospect, 60 percent of Americans say they leaned too heavily on their credit cards prior to the recession, and should have made a greater effort to pay down their credit card debt, according to a new survey from TD Ameritrade Holdings. Another 50 percent said they should have used cash more often to make purchases.

In addition, 25 percent believe that the money troubles they faced hindered their ability to pay down their credit card debt, the report said. Another 71 percent said they should have spent less and saved more, while 60 percent responded that they should have taken more responsibility in dealing with their finances.

Many consumers are now wary of taking on any credit card debt at all, and say they will go out of their way to avoid dealing with it, opting instead to spend within their means.