Buried deep in the fine print of your credit card's terms and conditions, chances are you will find something known as the "penalty rate clause". In fact, more than 75% of credit card issuers include a penalty rate clause with their card offers, and this number is increasing as credit defaults are on the rise and issuers are looking for ways to increase revenues through higher interest rates and fees.

Isn't it about time you gained some Credit¢ents? Perhaps you've never had to worry about credit before, but now you're off on your own and it seems like you're bombarded with credit card offers everywhere you go. What should you do? You opened a checking account at the local bank, and they offered you a shiny new piece of plastic. You signed up for a free subway sandwich at student orientation, and much to your surprise a credit card with your name on it appeared in the mail two weeks later.

Think you're having a bad day? Stuck in traffic, late for work, your kid is flunking math, the kitchen is a mess after dropping an egg? Well, you can relax and count your blessings. Because as horrible as those days might be, they pale in comparison to the ulcer-inducing rush of discovering that someone out there has not only stolen your identity, but is also hard at work leveraging your lifelong pursuit of solvency while sending your credit score plummeting and sucking your bank accounts dry. What to do about it? There's plenty, actually.

The credit markets are in the tank, and mortgage foreclosures are happening everywhere in today's economy. Whether voluntary or involuntary, it's important to understand that a foreclosure on your home will severely damage your credit score. In fact, a mortgage foreclosure will remain on your credit file for 7 years and will have a significant impact on your ability to borrow anything in the future.