Years ago, owing the library a few dollars wasn’t a big deal. Today, with local budgets in a pinch, everyone is trying to find ways to make more money and fund valuable community services.

Some customers prefer to use a debit card rather than a credit card to make purchases as a means of limiting debt and managing their finances but the choice could backfire when it comes to renting cars. Some car rental agencies, such as Budget Rent a Car, have policies that allow them to run credit checks on customers who use debit cards and that inquiry could cost the customer some credit score points.

As record numbers of Americans suffer from identity fraud while banks and merchants are getting hacked, the credit-card industry is providing a new security system for the cardholder. Retailers, banks and card companies are moving from magnetic strips on credit and debit cards to a chip and PIN card system, which is used in Europe.

Well, the notion of credit for a job well done extends beyond your personal, academic, or professional achievements and into your financial life. In the financial sense, credit is an agreement between a lender, a bank, credit union, credit card issuer, utility company, or other institution that has a financial stake—and a borrower.

You’ve been laid off from your job. The ensuing drop in your income could hurt your FICO score.