American household debts have surpassed a record $17 trillion this year, with credit card balances totaling more than $900 billion. And this quarter marked the first time in more than 20 years that credit card debt did not decrease, signaling that fewer folks are paying down their balances. This is consumers are increasingly turning to credit cards to make ends meet. A report from TransUnion shows the average American’s card balance is up by 14% compared to the year prior.