ATLANTA -- This summer, five of the top 10 credit card companies raised minimum monthly payments and other companies will soon do the same.

The government requested the change to help consumers climb out of debt.

But the higher minimums mean big trouble for big spenders.

Tameka Clark and her husband share the household chores and will share child care duties when their baby is born in a few weeks.

The former high school sweethearts also worked as a team to pay off $30,000 in credit card debt.

The trouble started after they bought their first home.

Tameka Clark says, "when we got in the house, it didn't have a refrigerator, so we got to go to Best Buy and get a refrigerator, then we needed a microwave. Little things like that started to add up."

She adds that they charged little things and big things like furniture and vacations.

Soon they had only enough money to make the minimum payments on all their cards.

"It was overwhelming. You keep paying, you're working, you're paying your bills, but you're not seeing them go anywhere", added Tameka.

She found out the math just doesn't add up with minimum payments.

With the standard two percent she was only covering interest and fees.

Now the government says credit card companies should help consumers get ahead by doubling minimums to four percent.

Consumer credit counselor Todd Mark says it was taking some consumers years to pay off purchases.

"What a lot of companies were set up to do, before this requirement is that you would maybe pay pennies above interest and fees,so it would take you 20 to 30 years to pay it off," Mark says.

Consumer Credit Counseling Service is already seeing an increase in calls from those who can't make the higher payments.

They expect this change to be good in the long run.

But C.C.C.S. spokesman Mark says it means tough choices in the short term.

He says "if you're living in the red every month, you've got to either decrease your expenses or increase your income."

Tameka Clark says she's finished with credit cards and has this warning for anyone tempted by the lure of that low monthly payment.

"When you pay if you charge it are you going to pay it off in the next 30 days? If not, don't use it".

Channel Two Consumer Advisor Clark Howard suggests that consumers pay all the can on their highest interest card and minimums on the rest. Then pay off the next highest interest account.

Card companies are now also required to disclose new information on their statements.

They will also include a disclaimer on how long it will take to pay off your balance making just the minimum payments.