The new consumer bureau is based on a pretty simple idea: people ought to be able to read their credit card and mortgage contracts and know the deal.

FORBES: Elizabeth Warren To Oversee New Consumer Protection Agency

Make sure that when you open a new credit card account, you read the disclosures they come with.

FORBES: Who's Paying All Those Credit Card Fees? New Users.

Read this Forbes article on how to get a better credit card interest rate.

FORBES: Connect

Read location-specific travel guides before you go to learn about the ease or difficulty of using a credit card at your destination.

FORBES: 8 Considerations For Using Your Credit Card Abroad