Credit card debt

Americans cut their credit card balances by 11 percent in 2011, bringing the national average balance down to $6576.

The amount of money consumers owe in credit -- excluding mortgages -- grew by $7.7 billion in October, hitting a two-year high.

Tess and I had our usual fun on the program this weekend, and hopefully dispensed some halfway-decent advice. But I'm still troubled by the...