This credit card is the ‘best weapon’ to fight debt while interest rates keep climbing

Rising borrowing costs are putting renewed pressure on Americans who carry credit-card balances. After September's rate increase and another projected hike in December, the cost of revolving debt is expected to keep climbing, making balances more expensive to service over time.

In that environment, attention often turns to card features that can help manage existing debt rather than simply add new spending. Balance-transfer offers, lower promotional rates, and cards with clearer repayment structures are commonly cited as tools for consolidating or paying down balances more efficiently. The framing of a card as a "weapon" against debt reflects a broader shift in how consumers are evaluating credit products: not just rewards, but whether the terms actively reduce the cost of carrying a balance.

What to watch is the gap between promotional terms and standard rates once any introductory period ends, along with balance-transfer fees that can offset savings. As rates rise, those details matter more than headline offers, since the benefit of any card depends on how quickly a balance is repaid.