Annual Fees the Latest in Credit Card Surprises by Mary Hunt on Creators.com

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Dear Mary: My son has been saving to buy a house. He got a credit card through our bank to build a credit history. Now he's received a letter saying the bank is going to start charging an annual fee. He feels he's stuck because canceling the card would look bad for his credit history. What are his options? — Peg, Ohio

Dear Peg: If your son is looking to buy a home in the next six to 12 months, he would be ill-advised to close that credit card account. However, if it will take him much longer to save his down payment, now is the time to make the switch to a no-fee card.

In either case, he should call customer service to see whether he can talk the company into reducing or even waiving that fee altogether. He should let customer service know in no uncertain terms that he has many options and would have no problem canceling the account and moving on. Just know that annual fees are the wave of the future for credit card issuers who are looking to make up lost revenue.

Dear Mary: Do you have any brilliant ideas on what someone can do with bathroom rugs after the rubberized backing wears off? — Alice L., e-mail

Dear Alice: There is at least one way to extend the life of those rugs, but I wouldn't call it brilliant. It involves removing all of the old backing and then replacing it with Grip-it shelf and drawer liner using rubber cement or fabric glue.

That's a lot of work, and the results are not guaranteed. Your best bet is to avoid letting the rubber backing break down before the rug has worn out in the first place. Do not dry rubber-backed rugs in the clothes dryer. Instead, allow them to air-dry; they will last much longer.

Dear Mary: My house still has its original 1922 golden oak planks. My neighbor says that the wood was refinished with polyurethane five years ago. When I use conventional wood floor cleaner, such as Murphy oil soap, the finish dulls, which makes the floor look dirtier than it really is. I'd like to restore the finish, as well, but I have no idea how. What do you suggest? — Kristin M., California

Dear Kristin: You need to know more about what's on these floors. Is it water- or oil-based polyurethane? Has it been treated with wax? If the floor was waxed or cleaned with an acidic cleaner before the finish had completely cured, it's possible that the finish was damaged. You may be able to bring it back by conducting a few tests to see exactly what's on there. Then proceed with the proper pH-neutral cleaner. A great website that will help you become a wood floor maintenance expert is http://www.woodweb.com.

Do you have a question for Mary? E-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com and author of 18 books, including "Can I Pay My Credit Card Bill With a Credit Card?" To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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