In a time when credit is contracting banks feel the need to penalize responsible credit users.   Credit card companies are going to start placing fees on users who do not maintain a balance, pay their bills in full and/or do not send enough within a 12 month period.

Citigroup, meanwhile, has started charging annual fees to card holders who don’t put more than a specific amount on their cards, typically $2,400 a year. Other banks are charging inactivity fees if customers don’t use their credit cards during a specific period of time. You heard that right: You could be spanked for staying out of debt.

Just amazing, isn’t it?

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2. Citi suffers $8 billion in consumer credit losses, starts closing credit accounts without warning
3. Americans' credit scores fall
4. Is a third Depression on the way?
5. Update: CIT secures $4.5B credit facility