Credit cards are the necessary evil in our lives. Comforting us in our time of need they strangle us when the credit card statement arrives in the post.

And while they may be a source of helpful financial convenience there are many tricks and rorts (all still very legal) that providers implement to extract the maximum amount of blood from a single stone. Gone are the days of keeping customers loyal and serving their needs, this is the era of keeping customers in debt.

Here are some of the credit card billing rorts you'll find card providers using;

Double-cycle (Dual Cycle, Two Cycle) Billing - This happens when you buy a large ticket item, let's assume $1000 worth, and you pay the majority within the interest free period. However, the remaining amount is carried over into the next period and the interest is charge on the entire amount rather than the remainder.

The difference is illustrated by this example; Let's assume you pay $1000 for a big-ticket item. You pay $990 within the interest free period leaving an outstanding amount of $10. The interest payable on just the $10 for a 26% credit card is 22 cents. That rate on the whole amount is $21.67. Huge difference!

Paying by phone Many credit card providers chage excesses for customers who pay by phone even if they pay the amount within the interest free period.

Why is it that in the day of internet banking most financial institutions won't accept deposits into credit card accounts? It's extremely easy to charge your credit card and obversely difficult to repay it.

The Tricky Universal Default Clause The Universal Default Clause is that fine print at the bottom of the conditions section informing you that if a late payment is made, no matter how faithful a customer you have been for the previous years, your interest rate automatically escalates.

Charged for Non-Use Credit card providers are becoming more aware of customers holding multiple cards using 1 or 2 for most of their purchases and holding the remainder for emergencies. Therefore, they're increasing interest rates on cards that aren't used on a regular basis as they try to recoup their 'administration' costs.

Credit card providers will excuse their billing practices laying the onus on customers to check them out thoroughly before signing their sand granule font agreements.

There are many pitfalls for the non-savvy credit card user and we rarely learn until we have failed - which is what these providers are banking on. Governments are reluctant to intervene and legislate so it really is up to the individual to seek out the best deals and scream ad nauseum about the bad ones.