jesus get it a break you people spend like wild college kids then blame the card company for it. Oh how liberal can that be?

Here's an example. For years, my card had a 19% rate. Beginning of July, I got a letter regarding change of terms to begin October 1, and if I want to opt out, I have to by August. End of July, my bill showed a 26% interest rate. No notice, nothing, not even my bill had a note about the increase. Incidentally, this caused me to go overlimit by 40 cents, resulting in a $39 overlimit fee. At the 19%, I would have been underlimit by $5. So, now if I opt out, I am subject to the 26% it just changed to.

Prior to this, I was never late and never overlimit over the years I have had this card.

You should never have carried a balance Nikki then the rate wouldn't matter.I know I know not evryone is "lucky enough" to be able to pay off the balance every month. True but at the same time no one is forced to use the cards either.

q2, that is not the point, and you know it. Sometimes people are forced to use a card if they don't have the cash to pay for, let's say a pricey car repair. The issue is that you take on a credit card, and the companies are now changing the rules. I can afford to pay a little over my exsisting monthly payment, whittling the card down little by little. But I can no longer afford it when my payment nearly doubles, along with getting no raise because the company I work for has to cut back to survive.
And, Nikki, I feel your pain, I am going through the same thing. I have been a responsible customer, and I don't think it's right to now penalize me because the credit card companies gave a line of credit to customers who were NOT. The credit card industry is taking advantage of people who are just trying to make it through our current economic crisis, and it's not right.

I don't understand how people are expected to spend more money to jump start they economy when those us that are still employed are struggling to survive are being slammed on all sides.
The banks and credit card companies are charging more fees and interest; taxes are increasing, insurance and utilities are increasing. I has nothing to do with being a financially responsible, the cost of living keeps going up while salaries are decreasing or stagnant. It's sad how some people refuse to open their eyes to our current situation. If it effects some people, eventually it effects everyone.

I decided a long time ago to stop using credit cards from major banks when they started pulling their stupid card tricks on me. I'll give a good example: I used to have a SuperAmerica MasterCard from Chase. With my credit scores averaging 795, I consider myself an extremely good credit card customer. When Chase decided to increase the interest rate from 13.24% to over 19%, I knew I no longer wanted to do business with them. I contacted Chase customer service and told them to close all of my accounts. I now use my VISA account with Pentagon Federal Credit Union for all of my business. PenFed did not required a bail-out from the American taxpayer, like B of A, Citi, and Chase!

Sorry Carla but That is precisely the point. If you can't afford to pay for it don't use a credit card wait till you can.

Sorry, q2...but I can't afford to stay home from work until I can pay cash for my car repair! I'm happy for you if you haven't felt the sting of the current economy, but if that's the case, you are in the minority.
dap DOES get the point; the cost of living goes up, everything goes up except our salaries.

I made a contract with certain credit card companies. I kept up my end. I paid on time, never went over the limit, and always paid more than the minimum. They have responded by breaking the contract, lowering my limits, increasing my rates and payments. I tell each of them, the economy will improve, you will get paid off, and when it does I WILL remember who kept their contract with me and who didn't. Chase and Bank of America, you have made a lot of money off of me over the years. Kiss it goodbye.