The total value of charge and credit card transactions, plus advances, posted at $19.631 billion last May, according to figures released by the RBA (Reserve Bank of Australia) on Monday.

The figure shot up from April's $17.960 billion value, while the total transactions were recorded at 131.035 million for May, also up from April's total of 123.289 million.

The statistical figures are not fine tuned every season.

In the period covering May 2009 to May 2010, the credit transactions value rose by 10.5 per cent, compared with the average increase rate over the past half decade of 6.8 per cent.

The total charge and credit card outstanding balances went up to $47.430 billion this May, from April's $47.126 billion value.

Compared to the previous year, total charge and credit card outstanding balances rose by 7.1 per cent, a lower increase than the annual average increase rate of 10.2 per cent over the past half decade.

The average charge account and credit card balance went up to 3,248.608 this May, a five per cent increase, compared to last year's 3,092.811 value, in line with the annual average increase of 4.9 per cent over the past half decade up to May 2009.

Charge and credit card payments went up to $19.833 billion this May from April's $18.806 billion total.

The annual growth in repayments was at 10.2 per cent, compared with the average over the past half decade of 7.3 per cent.

The total figure for EFTPOS transactions, plus both cash outs and purchases, was 183.795 million worth $12.037 billion this May, from April's 177.643 million worth $11.618 billion total.

The value of total EFTPOS transactions went up by 5.9 per cent over the past year ending on May 2010, less than 50 per cent of the increase rate over the past half decade ending on May 2009 of 14.0 per cent.