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Cash, cards, or mobile? Americans are mixing old and new payment methods in surprising ways. Here’s what the latest data reveals about how we really pay — and why it matters.

Money moves fast, but your wallet probably still holds a mix of cash, credit cards, and payment apps. While digital transactions dominate headlines, how Americans actually pay tells a more nuanced story, where old habits persist even as new technologies reshape our financial lives. According to the Federal Reserve’s 2025 Diary of Consumer Payment Choice, which tracked how Americans paid for…