Although there are some issues to be aware of when paying with a credit card overseas, you are still afforded a level of ease and protection not offered when using cash, a debit card or check. With all the exercise we give our credit cards during the rest of the year, don't they deserve the chance to travel at holiday time?

Cara restaurants have signed on systemwide, says Pete Bartolik, public relations spokesman at VeriFone, which calls its device On the Spot. Aqua Blue in Alpharetta, Ga., and Carey Hillards in Savannah, Ga., also use On the Spot, Bartolik says.

In the early 1900s, oil companies and department stories issued their own proprietary cards, according to Stan Sienkiewicz, in a paper for the Philadelphia Federal Reserve entitled "Credit Cards and Payment Efficiency." Such cards were accepted only at the business that issued the card and in limited locations. While modern credit cards are mainly used for convenience, these predecessor cards were developed as a means of creating customer loyalty and improving customer service, Sienkiewicz says.

Heating bills are rising at a time when utility companies across the country are broadening electronic payment options for customers, including allowing credit card payments for utility bills. Personal finance experts say paying for basic living expenses with credit cards makes sense only if you pay off the entire balance each month. They also warn that carrying a revolving balance encourages people to live beyond their means while racking up interest charges that can plunge families deeper into debt.

Two out of three Americans say they'll cut back on spending for other things as a result of higher energy costs in 2008, with nearly a quarter saying they'll cut back significantly on other spending. If they follow through, it will not bode well for the economy in 2008, say oil industry analysts and economists. Rising gas prices, the housing slump, the sagging dollar, the employment outlook and the stock market all may converge during the year, boosting the odds of a recession, they say.

Maloney, chair of the House Consumer Credit and Financial Institutions Subcommittee, says credit freezes can stop identity thieves from doing their dirty work. "I have applauded the three major credit bureaus for taking steps to make this important consumer protection tool more widely available," she said in reaction to the survey in an e-mail response to CreditCards.com. "However, a number of barriers -- including lack of information -- still prevent consumers from utilizing file freezes and protecting themselves from identity theft. That's why I've worked on legislation and urged the credit bureaus to take additional steps to make their file freeze services easier, faster, and more affordable."

But together we made it through when my teaser rate popped to 13.46 percent -- you saving, me not spending. Pressure makes diamonds. And credit cards, come to think of it. We both breathed a lot easier when we saw my balance due return to zero. I could face the light of day and some sharp objects again.

Visa released a report in September 2006 showing that four of the top five causes of credit card-related breaches were digital security limitations at merchants of all sizes. These weaknesses included misconfigured Web servers, missing or outdated software security patches and the use of vendor-provided default passwords and settings -- all of which represent violations of new credit card industry standards.

The long string of numbers, the magnetic stripe, the signature strip and the hologram all play roles in making credit transactions work. Get to know the standard parts of a credit card by moving your mouse around the image below.

Consumers who sign up for store credit cards may also find that their personal information is shared with other companies or that they are placed on marketing mailing lists. Stores such as retailing giant Wal-Mart routinely provide data to third parties looking to offer you special promotions or services. While buyers' personal information and buying habits represent another source of revenue to companies, it may be an annoyance to consumers who are already flooded with offers they don't need or want.