Survey Finds 41% of U.S. Small Business Owners Use Personal Credit Cards for Expenses

A Bluevine survey of 864 U.S. small and medium‑sized business owners shows that 41% regularly use personal credit cards for business spending, while 15% rely on personal loans. The study found that 37% of owners encountered problems with recent loan or line‑of‑credit applications, and 25% say such issues caused delays or denials. Knowledge gaps were common: 73% did not research loan requirements, 72% failed to update financial statements, 66% did not compare lender offers, and 56% never checked their business credit score.

These findings highlight a widespread reliance on personal finances and a lack of basic financial preparation among U.S. small businesses, which can hinder access to credit and increase the cost of borrowing.