Maybe the reminder of how much you still owe is painful, but please: examine your credit card statements carefully, even if you won't be able to send more than the minimum payment.

What happens if you don't? Your card issuer might find you liable for fraudulent purchases made by scammers or identity thieves, if you continue to pay the bill without contesting the illegal charges.

A Colorado man knows this all too well, as he has had to emerge from retirement to pay off $11,000 in fraudulent charges made on his Bank of America credit card, according to this KMGH-TV story. He was told he couldn't contest the charges since he continued to make $200 minimum payments, and so transferred the debt to another card.

There's lots of good reasons to review your credit card statements. Sun dining blogger Elizabeth Large has said that occasionally servers will supplement their tips on credit card receipts,for example.