A credit card statement shows two numbers: the statement balance and the minimum payment. Pay the minimum and the card stays usable, you aren’t late. But interest runs on the rest every month, and that interest is usually higher than what your savings earn. Saving while revolving card debt means growing the snowball with one hand and melting it with the other.
How high is card interest?
In Türkiye the CBRT sets and announces the ceiling on credit card interest every month. Maximum monthly rates on TL transactions for November 2026:
| Statement balance | Contractual rate (monthly) | Late payment rate (monthly) |
|---|---|---|
| Under ₺30,000 | 3.25% | 3.55% |
| ₺30,000 – ₺180,000 | 3.75% | 4.05% |
| Over ₺180,000 | 4.25% | 4.55% |
| Cash advance | 4.25% | 4.55% |
Banks may charge less but not more. KKDF and BSMV (a fund levy and a banking tax) are added on top of the interest, so the cost on your statement is higher than the rate in the table.
A monthly 3.75% looks small. Compounded over a year, before taxes, it’s 55.5%. Over the same period the average yearly rate on TL deposits was 42.88%, roughly 35% after withholding tax. Card debt easily costs more than your savings earn.
The minimum payment rule
BDDK sets the minimum payment ratio. Under its decision No. 11581 of 1 October 2026:
- If the card limit is ₺100,000 or less, the minimum payment is 20% of the statement balance;
- If the limit is above ₺100,000, it is 40%.
If you don’t pay the minimum, late interest runs on the unpaid part and it shows on your credit record.
What if you pay only the minimum?
₺50,000 of card debt, 3.75% monthly interest and a 20% minimum payment, with no new spending:
| Minimum only | ₺10,000 a month | |
|---|---|---|
| Debt paid off in | 59 months | 6 months |
| Total interest | ~₺11,000 | ~₺6,400 |
| Total paid | ~₺61,000 | ~₺56,400 |
Because the minimum shrinks with the balance, someone who pays only the minimum carries the debt for almost 5 years. Try it with your own card in the credit card minimum payment calculator.
The real danger: revolving debt
The scenario above is optimistic because it assumes no new spending. In real life many people pay the minimum, use the card again, and the balance stays roughly where it was every month. Then the debt never ends; every lira paid goes to interest.
Let’s look at what that does to a goal. You want a ₺900,000 car, have ₺250,000 saved and can put aside ₺45,000 a month. Your savings earn 35% a year and car prices rise 28% a year.
| Revolving card debt | Goal reached in | Interest paid meanwhile | If you paid it off from savings today |
|---|---|---|---|
| ₺150,000 (3.75% monthly) | 22 months | ~₺124,000 | 21 months |
| ₺250,000 (4.25% monthly) | 28 months | ~₺297,500 | 25 months |
₺250,000 of revolving debt delays the goal by 3 months, and the interest paid meanwhile is about a third of the car’s price today. And on the day you reach the goal, the debt is still there.
What can you do?
- Pay off expensive debt first. If the debt costs more than your savings earn, clearing card debt from savings is often the most profitable “investment”. Do it without touching your emergency fund.
- Pay a fixed amount above the minimum. Paying the same amount every month clears the debt much faster than the minimum.
- Avoid cash advances. They carry the highest rate tier, and interest starts from the day of withdrawal.
- Look into restructuring. Banks can turn card debt into an instalment loan at a lower rate. Compare the total cost before deciding.
- Treat the card as part of your budget. Instalment purchases commit future months’ income today.
How Kartopu calculates it
In Kartopu you add card debt as a debt record. Your net worth shows the figure after debts, and your goals’ progress takes it into account.
To see the effect of a change you can ask Karto: “If I cut my monthly saving from 45,000 to 35,000, when do I reach my goal?” Karto first calculates it as a scenario without touching your real records. If you want to make it permanent, you approve it separately.
Sources
- CBRT, Maximum Interest Rates for Credit Card Transactions, 1 November 2026.
- BDDK, Board Decision No. 11581 of 1 October 2026.
- CBRT, EVDS, weekly deposit rates, 16 October 2026.
This article is general information, not financial advice. Check your statement and your bank for your card’s current rate and minimum payment.