A delayed bill is a debt, so it's impossible for something to be more like a delayed bill than debt.

They are also often the best method consumers have to borrow money for many purposes.

A debt has interest; a delayed bill doesn't. An interest-free loan is literally free money (the difference between net present value of future repayments and current value, which will be higher); I always take 0% finance if it's on offer.

(The only exception would be in a deflationary environment.)

And yet, most credit card users do NOT pay off the amount in full. Why do you think banks push these cards so hard?

Don't they? Everyone I know does, who I've talked to about it.

Seems a bit like Trump supporters.

And that means that they, in turn, could be a credit risk. Which is what was being talked about.

Although it has to be said a running balance is not actually a direct credit risk. It doesn't make financial sense, as you're racking up interest fees, but if you are safely managing your payments (no late ones) and your credit usage (a percentage of what your total available credit lines are) then it's not a bad thing for your credit score.

Not that I would recommend it of course.