From small transactions at the grocery store to larger priced items at the mall, consumers swipe their credit cards to pay for items on a daily basis. But how do credit cards actually work? In 2013, an average U.S household owed more than $15,000 in credit card debt. While credit card debt is less than student loan or mortgage debt, consumers still struggle to pay it. In an animated video, produced by Josh Kurtz, KQED’s The Lowdown explains the math behind credit cards debt every consumer should know.