I never missed a payment or paid less than the minimum. My minimum will be $287 instead of $151. That almost double amount puts a helluva big dent in my budget., especially now that I have just bought a new car with stiff monthly payments. I called to see why they did this. My credit score is way up there in the high 700s, and I am on top of all my debts. The answer was that the bank changed its policy on interest charges. I got a supervisor and a supervisor's supervisor, but I got the same pat answer. Is there something I can do to get them to go back to the old rate?

What Harry says: Probably not. Many banks are tightening up on issuing new cards and making up the shortfall by hiking up interest rates or increasing monthly minimums. Since you have a good credit history and score, you should be able to get a new credit card (or two if your credit limit is too low on one card) and transfer the balance. I have been preaching and pleading for many years to try to get credit card users to pay the balance due in full during the grace period. In that way, interest rates would not affect you at all. Please heed that advice and get your balance down to current purchases only within the next few months . . . and keep it there.