It’s true that the commercial data miners use the “metadata” from your card purchases to learn all about you. It’s OK to buy groceries or change your oil with a card, but certainly make all purchases of “other” items in cash if possible. Things that you don’t want them to know about.
if you use your card for gas..they know where you are..and can go from there...narrows the field. Using card for groceries they can tell if you have children, pets, health issues etc. by what you buy ..stores list all your items now.
Who has the money these days to make any “other” purchases beyond groceries and oil?