I’m sure you’d agree costs have gone up, but does it seem like folks are still spending money as much as ever?

In today’s Money Minute, the reason may be as simple as what people are pulling out of their wallets.

“Over the last three months, we are seeing people coming in with large amounts of debt,” said Shannon Doyle with LSS Financial Counseling.

A few months ago, Doyle said that when clients came in, their debt was often over $10,000. “It used to be in the teens.”

But now those numbers are growing fast.

“Our average debt was $25,000,” Doyle added.

Doyle advises people to sit down today and really check what they’re spending.

“Now is a good time to look at your credit card statement.”

Doyle says those high balances can take a decade to pay off, so do some research.

You might want to change your credit card company. Look for a lower-interest credit card — sometimes credit unions or smaller banks have them. Check the fees if you transfer from card to card.

All of these can add up to help you save.

But before you change, make a simple call to your current credit card company.

“Ask them to lower that interest rate,” Doyle said.

And they just might surprise you and honor your request.

For advice, you can always call LSS Financial Services, a service of Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota.