The entire card balance, including the cash advance, is due within 25 days from the billing date on the statement.

Ms. Merkel sometimes keeps a note in her purse with her card balance, so she knows what she is spending.

Mr. Golub has concluded that there is more money to be made in the highly competitive card market by charging interest on unpaid card balances.

Customers can also get the information about the card balance and pay for housing and public services.

She had no outstanding credit card balances, owed no taxes, had no police record; her employment history was spotty.

Over all, it is the 20th-largest credit card company in the country, with 2 million customers and total card balances of $5.3 billion.

Their card balance eventually rose to $28,000.

Citigroup will pay a premium of about 11.5 percent, or $760 million, above the value of the outstanding card balances.

Of the 6,500 banks that issue these cards, the 10 largest issuers account for nearly 60 percent of total outstanding card balances.

During the revolving period, principal payments received on the credit card balances are used to purchase additional receivables.