For the most part, I'm in no real position to offer anyone financial advice. Almost everything I live by financially has come from "common sense" point-of-view, or from learning from other people's mistakes. However, I do have a tip to share: check your statements; credit card or bank, checking your statements can be vital to your financial security. Thanks to this fast and simple rule, I saved myself from some possibly-large financial trouble.
Last week, I received one of my credit card bills; it was for a student card that only incurs interest if the balance is over $250 (very handy, I might add). I was going through my statement, and saw that there was a charge to HP for $150 or so. After doing some deep research, checking my e-mail for any transactions around that date, I panicked. I had no clue why that charge was there.
Immediately, I called the credit card company. After explaining my problem with the customer service rep, they transferred me to their fraud department. Five minutes later I had the issue taken care of: the card was cancelled, documentation was being sent out to me via post, and most importantly, the charge was lifted from my account. Thanks to my fast reaction, along with looking through my statements, I was able to avoid an ongoing issue (that may have been more difficult to fix).
In closing, remember to check through your statements, and if you have online access, through your online statement history as well. It can save you some serious cash in the long run.