Credit card APRs are surging ever higher. Here's how to get a lower rate.

Credit card interest rates have soared to levels usually reserved for people with severely damaged credit. 

Indeed, more than one in three cards carry annual percentage rates (APRs) of 29.99% or higher, according to an analysis by LendingTree. The average interest rate on a new credit card offer is up to 24.45% — the highest level since the online lending marketplace began tracking interest rates across 200 cards. 

The upshot: Not paying your credit card balance each month adds up fast.