"They are useless," administrator Lina Pereira, from the central city of Valencia, said of her two credit cards, which both have low limits.
"My parents bought appliances and computers with their credit cards, but that's a memory for Venezuelans."
As incomes have fallen and living costs have grown, credit cards have become vital for many people to make everyday purchases in supermarkets and pharmacies, even as credit limits stagnate and some banks eliminate the cards altogether.
In 2012 that figure was 12% in Venezuela, while in countries like the Dominican Republic and Bolivia credit cards currently account for 5% of banks' credit portfolios, according to those country's regulators.
"With the limit on cards you can't even pay for lunch," said Gregorio Afonso, a 53-year-old university professor who has two local credit cards and an income of $20 monthly.