Credit card fees and penalties have trended up for years. But Fritz Elmendorf, a Consumer Bankers Association spokesman, doesn't expect to see an acceleration of that in 2007 both because more consumers have been challenging fees they feel are patently unfair and closing their accounts if they don't get a fee waived. Credit card companies, in turn, are very aware of how expensive it is to recruit a new customer.

So credit card issuers may raise their fee income in less obvious ways, said Linda Sherry, policy director at Consumer Action, which does an annual credit card fee and rate survey.

For instance, she has seen a move toward a tiered fee structure that is based on your balance – that is, the lower your balance, the lower your fee. "But it's not as consumer friendly as it looks," she said, noting that paying a $15 late fee on a $100 balance is a pretty big percentage of your balance.

Or take the option of paying your bill online at the credit card company's Web site. It's touted as a way to avoid a late fee, but there is often an online payment fee that the company is not required to disclose, Sherry said.

Her advice: "Watch for fees you don't normally think about."