Consumers struggling with credit card debt can take heart from knowing that changes are on the way. Lawmakers finally began making strides towards credit card reform at the end of April 2009, when the House approved a bill that would restrict some of the more abusive credit card practices and introduce greater consumer protections.

In the face of rising unemployment, it comes as no surprise that there are increasing signs that consumers are struggling to make ends meet. According to an April 2009 report by Moody’s Credit Card Index, credit card charge-offs reached an all-time high of 8.82 percent in the early part of 2009, more than 3 percent higher than just a year earlier.

Credit cards have become part of our way of life, a convenience we take as much for granted as we do the instant communication of cell phones and the easy, worldwide access to knowledge provided by the internet. But do credit cards have a dark side?

You’re travelling in a third world country, and right in the middle of a crowded street a thief grabs your bag.

For most people working 40+ hours a week, having to spend weekends or evenings on tedious tasks like paying bills and tracking their expenses is a chore they can live without.