Yes — your credit card’s issuing bank charges you interest on any unpaid balance you carry on your card each month. As stated above, credit card issuers calculate your interest charges daily, based on your average daily balance. The lower your balance, the lesser your charges. The only way to avoid these charges is to follow any of the steps listed above — acquire a 0% introductory APR credit card, transfer your balance to a card with an extended 0% APR offer, or pay your existing principal within your allotted grace period. If you pay less than the minimum, not only will you still incur finance charges, but you’ll also likely see a late fee on your next bill. On top of that, the credit card issuer could report your late payment to the three major credit reporting bureaus. Even if you’ve made a partial payment, adding a late payment to your credit report can sink your credit score by as many as 110 points in one fell swoop. And recovering from such a damaging blow can literally take years. That’s why it’s advisable to always pay more than the minimum each month when possible.