You’re not behind, and you’re not alone: the typical American household carrying card debt is doing it on an utterly ordinary paycheck. The Census Bureau reported in September that 2025’s median household income was $87,460 — the highest on record, adjusted for inflation — and yet recent survey data shows the median household credit card …
You have credit card debt. You want it gone. Every personal finance voice on the internet agrees on the strategy — throw every spare dollar at it — and then immediately starts fighting about the order. The debt snowball says: pay off your smallest balance first, whatever the interest rate. Quick wins keep you motivated. …
The Fed raised rates to 3.75%–4.00% in September 2026, its first hike since 2023, with another likely by year-end. Here is what it does to your savings, card APRs, mortgage plans and budget — in real numbers.