SmallBusinessNewz

Under the right (or wrong) usage conditions, credit cards can age quickly; they've been known to discolor, grow brittle, and crack.  And unfortunately, some small business owners may be entering the "heavy user" category, as the results of a new survey indicate a sort of tipping point's been passed.

The last time the National Small Business Association collected information on this issue was December 2008.  At that time, only 49 percent of small business owners said they'd used credit cards in the previous 12 months to finance their business.  A survey that ran through May 5th shows the number's now up to 59 percent, which isn't good.

Then here are the really big problems: the NSBA said in a statement, "Asked to evaluate their credit-card terms over the last five years, 79 percent reported worsening terms - up from 69 percent in December 2008.  Even more eye-opening: when asked if their credit-card terms had worsened in the last six months, a whopping 75 percent reported that they had."

Small business owners appear to be using credit cards as a last (or at least not first) resort, then, rather than taking advantage of any special offers or just changing things up.

On the bright side, the fact that so many small business owners can use their credit cards is a sign they haven't maxed them out or fallen too far behind on payments.