Over the last week, we've received numerous phone calls from Kohl's, the department store we occasionally shop at.  We last received a call last December when my wife's account was overdue.  But we know we're current on the account, so we did not answer the phone.  We figured it must be a telemarketing campaign, especially since they never left a message.  Finally, curiosity got the best of my wife, and she answered the phone last night.  Well, it seems they were just reminding us that this month's bill is due in a few days, and they offered the service of paying over the phone.  My wife found out there is a $10 charge for pay-by-phone, so she declined and let them know she'd pay over the web in a day or two.

In the chaos of the financial industry meltdown, you may have missed the news that a Bill was passed by the House, and now awaits Senate approval.  Dubbed the "Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights", the law would update the Truth In Lending Act with provisions specifically aimed at curtailing the exploitive practices card issues have developed over the years.  One of the Bill's main sponsors, Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) describes the main provisions of the Bill on her web site, including the following provisions: