It’s true that today’s credit cards bear more security measures than ever before, including zero-liability policies in case of fraud and/or theft. This begs the question: does it matter if you sign your card at all? And how about the trend of writing “check ID” (variations include “see ID” and “CID”), to supposedly ensure that more attention is paid to your security? In theory, a lost or stolen card with see ID should be impossible to use, right? Hate to tell you, but that’s not entirely the case. For the first point, writing see ID on your card does not make the cashiers of the world any more likely to flip your card over and check the signature line at the point of sale. Cashiers are not known for their extreme diligence in the best of situations. Additionally, advances in computer fraud make it easy for thieves to manufacture horrifyingly real-looking fake IDs sporting your name, with their picture. With this handy-dandy form of fraud in hand, typical credit card security features become a joke. So what should a smart consumer do? What, exactly, is the right decision?

Bank of American and certain other innovators in the field of credit card design and issuing have begun embedding a picture of the card holder on the front of the card as an added security feature. Choosing a card with this additional aspect of security may be a good idea if you are wary about the idea of using a credit card online or over the phone. And it is true that most card companies will not hold you liable for more than a minor fee if your card is fraudulently used, and many will hold you fully exempt from any liability. That is, of course, if you have done your part as the credit cardholder to ensure the security of your transactions. Part of the credit card agreement you sign is a pledge to sign your signature clearly on the back of the card when you receive it. You’ll notice that a message warns that the card is not valid unless signed, and that is technically true when push comes to shove. If you have “see ID” or one of its equivalents on the back of your card in lieu of a valid signature, you risk having your claim denied in the unfortunate case that your card and/or identity was stolen and used fraudulently. The lesson: sign your card. If you absolutely feel that you must include that “CID,” go ahead and add it along with actual signature. In a world where no form of commerce is ever truly safe, this is probably as good as it gets.

Getting car insurance is easier than ever nowadays, due to the fact that many insurers offer fast and easy rate quotes right over the World Wide Web! In many cases, you can input your information, get a quote, purchase a policy with your credit card through a safe and secure encrypted checkout process, and print out your insurance card straight away. There is no quicker or more convenient way of buying insurance, although you can still do it over the phone or in-person. Web insurance purchase, however, is the fastest way to get the best price on your coverage.

Be careful about getting TOO frugal, however. With car insurance, as is the case so often in life, you get what you pay for. Skimping on important types of coverage or foregoing them altogether will backfire painfully on you if you have a bad accident and are left with little or no help. You may also find that the insurers who offer the cheapest prices are those with shady reputations.

It’s no wonder that consumers are having major difficulty in meeting their student loan obligations. Lauren Asher of the nonprofit group Project on Student Debt speculates that overall decreases in borrowers’ ability to pay any kind of debt and a significant increase in the amount of student loan borrowers have both played a role in the current situation. Student loan defaults not only have a lasting and damaging effect on the delinquent borrower, but the government as well. Sallie Mae loans, for example, are ninety-seven percent backed by the government. Every bad loan plays a minuscule part in compounding the economic crisis.

Lenders are taking dramatic steps towards restructuring their loan products, in the interest of encouraging borrowers to start paying. This summer, some borrowers may be allowed to repay federal loans on the basis of the starting salary at their new jobs. Basically the more money you make, the sooner you would be expected to pay off your debt. Those making lower salaries (or unable to find work) can defer their loans, or pay very little at first.

The guarantee takes the form of a package deal – a price guarantee, an offer that will have the buyer paying nothing for ninety days, a three-month “pay break” (under which you can choose to defer your payments by three months), cash incentives of as much as sixty-five hundred dollars, zero percent financing for five years, and a “fully-backed warrantee.” Those warrantees will be backed by the United States and Canadian governments, who are pitching in on a bailout loan for Chrysler to keep the auto giant afloat. The warrantees will be paid for by some of those funds.

It can’t be denied that the “Buy With Confidence Guarantee” sounds like a sweet deal, but Chrysler Canada will have to actually find a few buyers willing to part with their hard-earned money in this dismal economy and take on a new auto loan. If you happen to be a Canadian consumer with good credit who is in the market, however, you might just luck out on one of the niftiest auto loan deals of the century.

Dental loans are one way that many consumers are dealing with the exorbitant costs of taking care of their teeth. You’ve heard of auto loans, home loans, payday loans – well, add this kind of loan onto your list of esoteric ways you can go into debt. Companies such as CareCredit (one of the largest out there) have made a booming business in lending money specifically for use on health and cosmetic procedures. Non-covered procedures like Lasik vision surgery and teeth whitening are two examples of totally elective procedures that might be obtained with such a loan, but needful dentistry tops the list.

Consumers with good credit can shop around for a dental loan offering the most reasonable terms. Obviously, you will want to seek a loan with the lowest interest possible, no upfront costs, no annual fees, and no prepayment penalties. Dental loans can be used to supplement health insurance, or used by those who have none. Some such loans are actually a specialized credit cards which can be used over and over again as long as the account is in good standing.