Misusing it may cause bad credit (5,4)
I believe the answer is:
debit card
'misusing it' is the definition.
I don't know anything about this answer so I can't judge whether this works.
'cause bad credit' is the wordplay.
'bad credit' can be anagrammed to 'DEBIT CARD'.
Though, I am not clear how this is indicated.
'may' acts as a link.
(Another definition for debit card that I've seen is " alternative to cash".)
I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
Want a hint initially instead of a full solution?
Install my app