Stories abound warning consumers about the perils of shopping on the internet. Internet shoppers have every justification to be concerned about the growing problem of identity theft and having their credit card information compromised. Having your identity stolen can be an expensive and complicated matter to clean up.

Don’t think, though, that you have to give up shopping online, altogether. Although nothing will completely eliminate your risks while shopping on the internet, there are some steps you can take to minimize your exposure to these risks.

When shopping online, be sure to look for the website’s security policy. Most internet retailers are aware of their customers’ concerns and will explain exactly how the company protects their customers’ information. Expect to find discussions that indicate that the retailer encrypts customer information and that it’s a secure site.

Choose one credit card to pay for your internet purchases. If you have the misfortune of having your credit card information stolen, you’ll only have to cancel your credit card. Never use your debit card online; you don’t want thieves to have access to your checking account.

Don’t use public computers to shop on the internet. Some web browsers store your information and could be accessed by someone else with the skills to harvest that information.

Never email your credit card information whether you’re sending it to a retailer or a friend. Email servers are usually not as secure as the type of software used to process credit card information.

Try to choose well-known retailers when shopping online. The larger retailers will have the experience and capital to invest in their website’s security processes to make sure that they are utilizing the latest in internet security. If you just have to have something you find at a smaller website, consider calling their customer service line and giving them your information via the phone.

Using a PayPal account to pay for your internet purchases is a way to add an extra layer of security in your internet purchases. Many of the smaller, less secure, websites will allow you to use PayPal to process your payments to them.

Remember that when shopping on the internet to use your common sense when selecting your retailers. If a website doesn’t feel professional, you should probably trust your instincts and look for your product elsewhere.

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No, this isn’t a Capital One commercial. Seriously, what is in your wallet? Some people carry nothing but cash in their wallet. Others carry just about every type of identification or financial information they have in their wallet.

In a perfect world, the things you actually should carry in wallet lie somewhere in between these two stereotypes. There are definitely items that you should have with you at all times. But you also don’t need to have everything with you. In the event that your wallet is lost or stolen, minimizing the things in your wallet will help you contain the damage you will face.

Things you should carry in your wallet include:

Your Drivers License – It’s important to have valid identification with you at all times.

Your Auto Insurance Card – If you’re driving, you’ll be required to be have proof of insurance with you.

Cash – Although you don’t want to carry too much cash, it is nice to have a minimal amount with you.

One Debit or Credit Card – Carrying multiple credit cards with you is like an invitation to identity thieves to have a field day with your wallet. However, if your car breaks down, you’ll be glad to have a way to pay for a tow to your mechanic’s shop. Remember this card is for emergencies, not indulgences.

Medical Emergency Information – Allergies and medical conditions you have could be very important information if you become ill or are in an accident. Having that information with you could save emergency workers valuable time.

Things you should NOT carry in your wallet include:

Your Social Security Card – Never carry your social security card with you as a routine. If you need to provide it to an employer or to show it at a Social Security office, carry it with your for that particular day. Once you get home again, make sure you pull it back out of your wallet and put it safely away.

Tons of Credit Cards – Don’t stuff your wallet full with credit cards. You might be tempted to have them all with you just in case you need them. You’re much more likely to use your credit cards if you have them with you when you feel the shopping urge.

Your Birth Certificate – Like your social security card, your birth certificate should only be taken out of your home when there is a specific need. Very rarely will you need to present it to anyone.

Contact Information Cards – When you buy a new wallet, the wallet often includes one of those blank cards for you to write all of your vital information on. The premise is that if you lose your wallet someone will see the card and call you. Unfortunately, the other possibility is that some one will find the wallet, your credit card, and your private information.

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There was a time when you could simply throw away old bills and expired credit cards without another thought. With the increasing frequency of identity theft, however, that time has passed. Now you have to be careful about the way you discard anything with your private information on it. In fact, your best bet for security would be to purchase a shred to destroy any unnecessary documents.

But how do you decide which shredder will suit your needs. Although there are a variety of shredders on the market, you should probably look for a few specific features while you’re shopping for your shredder.

Cross-Cut Feature – Some shredders shred pages into long strips. Unfortunately, the determined criminal with too much time on his hands would piece these strips back together to discover the information you were taking such care to hide. A cross-cutting shredder will help eliminate some of this risk by cutting the strips down into much smaller pieces.

Media Shredder – While you’re choosing your shredder, try to look for one that will shred more than paper. Some shredders also have the capacity to shred credit cards and even CD’s and DVD’s.

Bin Size – Think about the amount of shredding you will do. If you will only be shredding the occasional document, you don’t need to be too worried about the size of the bin attached to your shredder. However, if you use your shredder for work or foresee a lot of shredding in your future, you might want to opt for a shredder with a large bin. The last thing you want to do is make ten trips to empty the bin in one day.

Page Intake – Along with bin size, the number of pages your shredder will accept at one time can seriously limit the speed with which you can complete your shredding tasks. Some budget-priced shredders can only accept five pages at a time, but others can take as many as seventeen pages. Be sure to consider how many pages you’ll want to shred at any time when selecting your shredder.

Ultimately, using any shredder to help you dispose of your private information is better than using no shredder at all. But if you’re going to be purchasing a new one, be sure to evaluate how you will use your shredder and pick one that will protect you and your information.

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