HOUSTON (FOX 26) -
American consumers are charging more on their credit cards than they did a year ago.
Credit reporting agency TransUnion says credit debt jumped 6 percent in the last year, to around $5,000 per borrower.
While late payments are down, consumers are taking a long time to pay off their balances.
Financial advisors suggest finding discretionary spending, like coffee and treats, to free up some cash that should go to the highest interest rate debts first.
"Imagine when you make a payment on a debt that's charging you 20 percent, you're really getting ahead with a 20 percent return, and that's really impossible to get anywhere right now," financial advisor Kim Fontenot said.
Total US credit card debt is about $800 billion or roughly $5,000 per borrower.
