Missed a credit card payment -- seeking advice. [View All]

Hey, all. I got a phone call from the Mastercard people. I forgot to pay my credit card payment that was due 12/23.

No special reason -- I literally just forgot about it. I had been in the habit of paying it online as soon as the bill comes. But, December was a busy month with a lot of stuff happening at work and at home, plus a couple of bouts of car trouble, out of town company, and so on and so forth.

I've never, ever done that before. I did have a payment bounce once, years ago, because it was around mother's day (I was the manager of a florist/flower shop at the time), and I literally forgot to go the bank and deposit my paycheck, too busy at work putting in a week's worth of 16 to 20 hour days.

I don't begrudge them the late fee -- it WAS my fault. But, should I do anything else to follow up. Should I call them and ask for mercy? Or, is this no big deal.

I paid it tonight online. It will clear tomorrow, since it was already after the 5:30 PM EST cutoff for same-day processing when I found out about this.

Is it a big deal? Will they zap me with a big rate increase or something? Will they ruin my credit history?

What should I do, if anything?

TIA.