Americans now owe $18.8 Trillion. Yup, with a capital T. Total household debt actually dipped a little this quarter, just $13 billion. Feels like nothing against a number that big. But credit card debt is climbing again, up $21 billion. Auto loans too, up $28 billion. That's real money families are carrying month to month. Delinquencies held mostly steady, which is good news. But steady at these levels still means a lot of people are stretched thin. This isn't just a chart. It's rent that's due, cars people need to get to work, groceries that cost more than they used to. (source: newyorkfed .org)