Few things are consistent in life. The alarm clock doesn't always go off when it's set. The Patriots ruin a perfect season by choking in the Super Bowl. A bright and sunny Saturday can turn to thunderstorms in the blink of an eye.

As far as I can tell, I can guarantee only two things:

• If I am wearing white to dinner, something with spaghetti sauce will be served.
• At least three times a week I will find a credit card offer in my mailbox.

Wearing white will never stop me from eating spaghetti, but I can help eliminate the seemingly endless stream of credit card offers.

Receiving these offers makes you a target for identity theft. To prevent your information from falling into the wrong hands, you should "opt out" of pre-approved offers.

• Call 1-888-5-OUTPUT (1-888-567-8688)
• Register online at: https://www.optoutprescreen.com/?rf=t

You can opt out for five years or permanently.

Eliminating these offers helps protect your identity and is also eco-friendly. You're saving paper and creating less waste. It is reported that my generation is in an endless cycle of post-graduation credit card debt—so the fewer offers you get, the less temptation you have to add another card to that bulging wallet.

A scary thing happened to me Tuesday night. I was shooting pool with some friends when a stranger tried to snatch my purse. I couldn’t believe it. My purse was a mere five feet away. The guy quietly swiped it, hid it beneath his sweatshirt, and sauntered toward the door. I was lucky. I noticed almost immediately, and the guy was apprehended.

For a few terrible moments, I thought he had gotten away. I began to imagine the hassle of replacing my credit cards, my driver’s license, and my ATM card (not to mention the songs on my iPod). What a mess. So, today, I’ve decided to post a few things you should do, just in case:

• Keep a list of all of your credit, debit, and ATM cards. This list should include card numbers as well as customer service phone numbers. You might also want to include the fraud hotlines of credit reporting agencies, so you can place a fraud alert on your credit report. You should keep this list somewhere safe and easy to access (but not in your wallet!).
• Because your Social Security number is a gold mine for identity thieves, never keep your Social Security card in your wallet. If your driver’s license has your Social Security number on it, you should contact your state motor vehicles office and ask for a replacement that doesn’t display your Social Security number.
• Never keep PIN numbers in your wallet or with your credit or debit cards.

If your wallet has been stolen, the FTC provides a quick list of what to do. And of course, there are lots of other things you can do to avoid identity theft.

Do you have any tips for how to make life difficult for purse snatchers?

Last Thursday, we talked about getting a free copy of your credit report.  And I promised I'd come back this week with an overview of what to do if you find a mistake on it.

Ok, so you've gotten your free credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com and you've figured out how to read it. But something's wrong. Your birth year could be a little off or something could be misspelled. That's not so bad. But if you notice something like a current mailing address listed that's not yours, or accounts and lines of credit in your name that you didn't open, you could be one of more than eight million people in the US each year hit by identity theft.

Immediately contact the credit bureau that you got your credit report from (Equifax, Trans Union or Experian) to tell them about the mistake and to have them place a fraud alert on your account. They will then contact the other two credit bureaus and instruct them to place a fraud alert on your credit records with them too. A fraud alert on your credit record lets potential creditors know that you suspect that you've been the victim of identity theft, so they will be reluctant to give anybody any more credit using your name for an initial period of 90 days. You can have that extended to seven years.

Next, phone and write a letter to the company that says you have the potentially fraudulent account or line of credit with them. Don't just rely on phone calls or filling out online forms. Write a real letter (here's a sample) and keep record of every communication between yourself, the credit bureaus and the company that the thief got credit from in your name.

For much more detailed information about protecting yourself from identity theft and tools to help you get your good name back if you've been a victim, see the Federal Trade Commission's Fighting Back Against Identity Theft website.

I wish I could tell you that a couple phone calls or letters would take care of the problem if you're been hit by identity theft. Unfortunately, it can be more complicated than that. Getting fraudulent accounts proven and closed and getting your credit report accurate again will take time and persistence on your part. But it will eventually get straightened out.

What's your experience? Have you or somebody you know been the victim of identity theft?

If the thought of identity theft scares you like it does me, or you're looking to make a major purchase and you need to check your credit rating, those ads for companies that promise you "free credit reports" may have caught your attention. Truth is, you don't need those guys. You can get a copy of your credit report for free, all by yourself.

The Federal Trade Commission requires the three major credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian (formerly called TRW) and Trans Union to give you a free copy of your credit report once a year. The credit bureaus are not part of the government; they're companies that keep track of your borrowing and debt records so lenders can get an idea of how good a risk you are when you apply for credit or for certain services.

It's really easy to get your free credit report and it's available from only one central place: AnnualCreditReport.com. There are companies that have websites with similar names. And they may offer you a "free" copy of your credit report but you'll have to buy other services from them first to get it. AnnualCreditReport.com is the only official site where you can get a genuinely free copy of your credit report from all three reporting agencies. And if you'd rather order your free credit report by phone or by mail, you can do that too.

You can choose whether you want to get your credit report from just one of the credit bureaus at a time or if you want to get a report that has the information of all three combined. I like to get my reports one at a time, spread out over the course of a year. I stop back at AnnualCreditReport.com every four months for a report—Trans Union in January, Equifax in May and Experian in September, for example. Since all three agencies have very similar information, this allows me to check my credit for free more than just once a year.

When you're on the AnnualCreditReport.com site, you'll be asked some identifying information including your Social Security number. Normally, you wouldn't share that with anybody—especially online—but because this is the official place to get your free credit report, and it's a secure website, it's safe to share the personal information they need to make sure you're you, and to get you the right credit report.

If you've never seen a copy of a credit report or you're not sure how to read one, here's a good sample from Experian. (If you can't see the sample report, you'll need to download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader onto your computer.)

Next Thursday, we're going to talk about how to fix mistakes you might find on your credit report. If you have a chance between now and then, grab that free copy of your credit report, and I'll see you back here next week.

How many of us can say we save enough money for our families to be secure? Whether we’re saving for retirement, to buy a home, an emergency fund, that fun tropical vacation or an incredible pair of shoes, it’s a practice that will serve us all well in the long run. Reducing our levels of personal debt is also a form of saving money, so pay off those credit cards, folks!

You’ve probably heard in the news that in the U.S. the personal saving rate is at an all time low. Despite increasing levels of wealth, Americans still save less than 1% of disposable income. That can all change during America Saves Week, February 24-March 2, if we each commit to set a goal to save or reduce personal debt levels.

America Saves encourages individuals to set a goal to save money or reduce debt and then make a plan to reach it. If you have a local group in your area you can join with other savers to start a savings club or take money management classes. During America Saves Week, you can order a free package of publications about saving and investing from USA.gov’s Money and Taxes page so be sure to check it out.

Good luck saving (or paying off your credit cards)!