Now that you've got good credit, you qualify for so many different kinds of credit cards it'll make your head spin. The best way to hang on to your great credit rating is to make sure you do the following:

• Leave room on your credit card for the unexpected. It's when emergencies happen, like your muffler suddenly falling onto the pavement, that credit cards come in handiest.

• This sounds like something your mother, the master of the obvious, might say, but you'll want to pay your bills on time – and this isn't a college application or a contest entry where the postmark date is everything. Because credit card companies don't care, they just want the money in their hands by the deadline you've been given. If it's even a day late, you'll be paying finance charges and penalty fees.

• Credit card statements are like check registers. They need to be balanced. If you don't remember what you've bought, then that charge from company XYZ isn't going to register and you'll be paying for things you never purchased. The only way to get credit for a charge that you know you didn't make is to bring it to your credit card company's attention and have it reversed.

• You may not get it back right away, which can be embarrassing when it's your turn to pay at the supermarket and you don't have the cash to cover your groceries. And the person who borrowed your card might not be as vigilant about saving receipts, which can force you into a screaming match with your credit card company that was totally unnecessary.

• Even if you're strapped, one of the worst things you can do is forget to pay off the prescribed installment for a month or two. Think of your creditors as the ultimate tattletale –your tardiness will go down on your credit report, making your life difficult in the future by compromising your credit rating.

Being watchful about your card will prevent it from falling into hands on the dark side without your knowledge, leaving you with a bill and a lowered rating. Always take the following precautions:

• When you get your card, do not pass "go," do not collect $200 -- sign and activate it immediately.
• Always know the whereabouts of your cards. If you don't plan on using them, keep them in a home safe or safety deposit box.
• Always get a receipt when you make a purchase.
• Immediately report your card lost or stolen if you can't find it – even if you're almost positive it's somewhere in your home or car.
• Never give your personal identification number (PIN) to anyone. This little tidbit plus your card equals ATM cash withdrawals.
• Be wary about giving your credit card number out over the phone, since some telemarketing schemes are bogus.
• When buying things over the ‘Net, make sure the company has the technology to encrypt your card number.

Taking these precautions and be personally responsible, and you will increase and fortify your credit for many years to come.

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