Credit and debit cards are used pretty much all the time. We use them for everything from buying groceries, clothes, take-out food and gas to even paying household bills. Online shopping has also grown over the years, where people come home from work, grab a bite to eat, fire up the computer and shop away only to pull out the plastic and consummate the purchase.

But such usage carries risks. A few years ago my father received a call from his credit card company that someone was trying to use his credit card number online to purchase a $3,000 TV. They called him because it was not a normal spending habit, which threw up a red flag for his credit card company. He found out that an employee at a restaurant they frequented had stolen his credit card number, expiration date and security code from the back of the card. Score one for the wherewithal of the credit card issuer in alerting my father. However, many other cardholders are not so lucky.

Lately it seems that many of my friends and family members are going through changes, both personal and professional. I count myself among them. Making major changes in life is part of life, yet it can be very scary and unnerving. But change is necessary if we are to grow and reach our full potential. Making a change that you're afraid of is far better than never making a change and remaining in a situation that is no longer good for you that you've outgrown or that simply doesn't excite you anymore. Life is too short!