NEW YORK – Paying with cash has joined the ranks of those habits that are embraced by one generation and scorned by another. And guess who doesn’t like it?

According to a recent survey by CreditCards.com, adults under age 30 are so averse to using cash, that more than half (51%) will use a credit or debit card, even for purchases under $5. The older you are, the more likely you are to pay with cash, with 77% of Americans 50 or older using cash for purchases under $5.

Cash is also preferred by almost 80% of rural cardholders, compared with 62% of city and suburban residents.

When it comes to choosing what type of plastic, those under 30 who have credit cards prefer debit over credit by a ratio of 3-to-1. Cardholders of all ages prefer debit over credit by a 2-to-1 margin, CreditCards.com says.

The CreditCards.com survey was conducted online and by cell phone in July by Princeton Survey Research Associates International, and included 1,497 adults, 983 of whom had American Express, Visa, MasterCard or Discover credit cards.