Nothing agitates me like getting unsolicited calls from telemarketers. What boggles my mind is how these intrusive companies get a hold of my phone number. If you find yourself in a similar boat, there are various websites online on which you can report the offending company or phone number. When I don't recognize the number, I proceed to type it on Google and run a search. Usually, there will already be complaints issued about said phone number on sites like 800notes.com. Some people even report the numbers to the Federal Trade Commission. I never answer the phone unless I recognize the number. If they leave a message, I vet it in order to determine whether the source is legitimate. Oftentimes, it's a call from, say, AT&T or my bank. In other cases, however, it's a scam that far too many consumers fall prey to. I advise all my friends and readers to do the same. Some of these schemes can be egregious; the shady companies pull out all the stops to get people...

As someone who's been a victim of identity theft multiple times, I know firsthand how important it is to keep your personal information safe, and how frustrating it can be once it's compromised. Here's a valuable tip: If you can't use cash, use credit cards. You should aim to use debit cards only in the event that you need to withdraw money from the ATM. Credit cards offer two key advantages over debit cards: 1. They're safer: Most credit cards these days offer consumers zero liability protection. This means that they're not responsible for any transactions made without their authorization. All fraudulent purchases are removed, thus bringing the cardholder's balance to where it should be. With debit cards, the process isn't as hassle-free. The bank will dig deeper to ensure you didn't make the transactions and will usually require you to fill out and send over paperwork. What's worse, you have to wait for the bank to give you your money b...

In the battle between paper and plastic, paper is the undisputed winner. Consumer psychologists have found that people are less likely to splurge when they only use cash. And this makes perfect sense. It's always easier to limit yourself to a predetermined amount when using dollar bills. Once you run out of them, you have no choice but to run to the ATM for more. In the case of credit cards, we can have a credit limit of, say, $8,000, a fact not lost on us when we're at the mall. Thus, we feel less predisposed to put the brakes on our purchases when we know we can just swipe the card countless times. Using cash also "stings" more because you actually feel like you're losing something. You can open your wallet or purse and see that your hard-earned cash is no longer there. With credit cards, you can postpone feeling the sting until you receive your bill in the mail, which is what the vast majority of consumers would rather do. Let's not forget that ca...