The traps of revolving credit cards and how to get out forever

What exactly is a revolving card?

Revolving cards are credit cards marketed under the attractive promise of "pay your purchases comfortably in small installments." Unlike a normal credit card, revolving automatically defers payment, turning any purchase into a very long-term loan with usury-bordering interest rates (often 20% to 25% APR).

The mathematical trap of the minimum payment

The real danger lies in its default configuration: paying a very low fixed fee (e.g., €20 or €30 a month). When you pay that small amount, most of the money goes to cover the sky-high interests, and only a tiny fraction reduces the real debt.

• The debt that never goes down: By continuing to use the card, the debt grows faster than you amortize it.
• Interest on interest: Unpaid interest is added to the principal debt, generating more interest.
• False sense of control: Because the fee is small, you don't feel financial suffocation until you look at the total balance.

How to break the vicious cycle

To escape, the first step is to stop using the card immediately. Then, demand the bank to raise the monthly fee to the maximum you can afford to attack the principal directly. Alternatively, get a traditional personal loan (at 6% or 8%) to pay off the revolving card at once. If rates are abusive, you can claim through legal channels to get all interest paid refunded.