Purchases made during the billing period aren't included. This method gives you until the end of the billing cycle to pay a portion of your balance to avoid the interest charges on that amount. Some creditors exclude prior, unpaid finance charges from the previous balance. This is the amount you owed at the end of the previous billing period. Payments, credits and new purchases during the current billing period are not included.
Some creditors also exclude unpaid finance charges.
Issuers sometimes use various methods to calculate your balance that make use of your last two month's account activity. Read your agreement carefully to find out if your issuer uses this approach and, if so, what specific two-cycle method is used. If you don't understand how your balance is calculated, ask your card issuer. An explanation must also appear on your billing statements. Other Costs and Features Credit terms vary among issuers.