 TITLE: How to Avoid Paying Credit Card Interest CONTENT: Thanks to the grace period that's a standard of virtually all U.S. credit cards, it's possible to use credit cards frequently without paying a cent in interest. If you pay the full balance due listed on your statement within the grace period, your lender won't charge you interest. The grace period can range from 15 to 21 days and is typically built into the card issuer's billing process: The grace period extends from the date the monthly statement is issued to the payment due date. If you pay off your entire balance by the due date, no interest charges apply.\nIf you pay off your card in full each month, your card's interest rate is immaterial: The interest charge will be zero, no matter how high or low the APR may be.\n### When You Can't Pay Your Balance In Full\nIt's likely that, at some point, a surprise expense or other issue will lead to a credit card balance you cannot pay in full before the end of the month. In most cases, you'll be charged interest on whatever portion of the balance you don't pay off, and interest charges will continue to apply until you bring the card's balance to zero.\nSome cards suspend the grace period on new purchases as soon as you carry a balance forward from one month to the next. When that happens, you're not just charged interest on the outstanding balance; any purchases you make while the grace period is suspended are charged interest starting the day of the transaction. Those charges, plus those on the outstanding balance, can add up fast.\nAlso, some cards maintain the grace period suspension for one or more months after you've paid off your balance. All purchases made while the grace period is suspended are subject to interest charges starting on the day of purchase. It's good to be aware of them and to avoid them when possible. END