Are you a credit user or a convenience user? Take the following quiz from Sound Money Tips and find out before you get your next credit card offer in the mail. (If you are like me, that means you better do this before you check your mail today!)

Credit User Quiz: Answer Yes or No to each question.

About two weeks ago as I was preparing the final details for last week's workshop I suddenly realized I was missing something.  I was going to need at least 10 different credit card offers to use in one of the workshop activities. My usual habit of shredding credit card offers that came in the mail was going to have to stop for a bit.  I decided that I would have to ask my neighbors to save any offers they got in their mailboxes so that I would have enough. Well, I shouldn't have worried. In the next three days I received over 20 offers from 7 different cards! That was convenient... but a bit excessive.

Right then I decided to 'Opt Out'. Did you know that there is a national toll free number established by the major consumer credit bureaus to allow you to opt out of (or into) these mailings? Call 1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688). The recording will ask for identifying information before allowing you to continue.  If you select the permanent option, your request will only take place after you return the form mailed to you. If you select the two or five year option, your request can most likely be completed with just the phone call.

If you are concerned about leaving your social security number when you call, remember, the credit card company most likely already received that from the credit bureaus when they bought your credit information.

There are other numbers to call to opt out of other types of mailers. Most of them require that you call during the daytime. You can call Polk Company 1-800-464-7655 and ask for the Opt Out line. Experian has compiled a database of lists, for non-credit offers you can call them at 1-800-228-4571, ext. 4633 - just be prepared to write down all of the data that they are requesting! For credit offers call 1-888-567-8688 to opt out of all three credit bureau mailings. Money Mailer and Hot Coupons number is 714-265-4100. Since these mailers are printed well in advance, be prepared to receive several more before the Opt Out takes effect.

As a last resort - or perhaps your first - there may be a number, email, snail-mail address, or website listed on the mailers that you receive that you can contact to Opt Out directly. Respond with something like..."Please remove my name from your marketing database. In addition, please do not pass along my name to others through mail list sales or trades. Thank you for your cooperation." Most mailers will make an effort to comply with your request.

So save a few trees and reduce the amount of junk mail that you get (nearly 50 pounds a year!) by contacting the numbers above.

What does this article have to do with Clean Credit? How about...the fewer temptations you have when trying to stay within your budget, the better! Also every card you apply for causes a hard hit on your credit report and can cost you to lose 5 or more points on your credit score.

If you haven't already opted out I am sure that you have gotten more than one of those 0% credit card offers in the mail. Did you quickly fill out the form and then send it in, or faster still, call in and sign up that way? After all you didn't want to miss that great offer! Well, I have one question for you - did you bother to read the fine print? Fortunately, these days the fine print is required to be a bit larger and more organized so that you can actually read and understand it.

Here are some of the things that you need to check before you apply for any credit card - in fact you should probably check the fine print on the cards you already have to see what you are paying!

I suggest you make a spread sheet** that contains the items discussed below so that you can check them off and compare cards - that is the way to get the best deal for yourself. (If you don't know what kind of credit card user you are make sure you read the previous article before you decide on the card you want to apply for.)

First, it is critical to find out how long those special offers are good for and what they change to at the end of that time.

Next, find out what the finance charges are for purchases, balance transfers, cash advances, and any other special offers they may have.

Are the rates variable or fixed?

Is there a grace period? If so, how long is it?

Make sure you know the type of balance calculation method - is it one or two cycle, and does that cycle include new purchases?

The last thing you need to find out would be the various fees associated with this card. Remember the acronym - BLOATU. It is what the fees are designed to do - bloat your balance so that the credit card company makes more money. Did you know that there is no limit on the fees that credit card companies can charge?!

The most common fees are:

Balance transfer

Late fee

Over the limit fee

Annual fee

Transaction fee for cash advances

Usage fee

A lot of that information can be found in the offer you receive in the mail, but there are also some 'hidden' charges. Some of these are related to the balance on the card. There may be tiered rates. This happens when there are different finance charges for different levels of balances.

Related to that, find out which balances are paid down first when you make a payment. If you already have balances on a card and you get one of those 0% offers, did you know that all of your payments will go to pay off the 0% balance charges before any of the higher interest balances are paid? That means that your higher percent balance continues to accrue interest until the 0% balance is paid off. Ouch.  Perhaps that 0% offer isn't such a great deal after all!

** See the offer at the end of this email for a free spread sheet.