Banks will still be mining data from your account in order to sell you financial products, including things of little value, such as credit insurance and credit-card protection plans.

She had no stable income, $12,000 in credit-card debt and no plan, but to her astonishment, her father, an accountant, told her that her financial plight wasn't as bad as she thought.

This year, I am doing even better, and plan to pay off my credit card by summer and car by the end of 2007.