Several years ago, before I met my wife, I was horrible at managing my money and needed serious help. I tried everything I thought I needed to do at the time to try and reduce my credit card debt as quickly as possible. The one thing I didn't do, initially, was seek credit card debt help, which would have made the whole process that much easier.

By the time I woke up and realized what I needed to do, it was just about too late. In fact, it was so late, that when a "counseling service" screwed up the payment plan I agreed too, credit card consolidation was no longer an option and I had no choice but to file bankruptcy.

That was many years ago, and I have learned my lesson. Oh sure, I still use credit cards, although I wish I could break that cycle too, but now I know how to manage my money. I keep a running budget, so I always know how much money we have to spend and how much needs to go to paying the bills. Sometimes there is nothing extra, but I know when I sleep at night that the bills are paid and the lights will stay on.

I also know, that if I ever get in that situation again, that credit card debt help is just a few mouse clicks away, and all hope is not lost. The secret is knowing when to seek help. The earlier, the better.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of former President John F. Kennedy and founder of the Special Olympics, is in the hospital, said a spokesman for her daughter, California first lady Maria Shriver.

"She has had many health challenges in the past several months, and in every case she has bounced back," Daniel Zingale said. "I hope and expect it will be the same in this case."

He would not elaborate on Shriver's status, saying, "the family's privacy must be respected."

Get Well Soon, Eunice.

Here's a list of the recalls that were announced this week.

With my leg injury and then the Thanksgiving holiday, I haven't had time to post them, so here they are:

Slipcovers Used With Boppy Pillows Recalled Due to Choking Hazard and Risk of Lead Exposure

Pure Allure Recalls Metal Jewelry Sold at Michaels Stores Due to Risk of Lead Exposure to Children

Metal Jewelry Sold by Family Dollar Stores Recalled Due to Risk of Lead Exposure to Children

La Femme NY Inc. Recalls Children’s Necklace and Earring Sets Due to Risk of Lead Exposure

Discount School Supply Recalls Paint Brushes Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard

Children's Metal Jewelry Recalled by Buy-Rite Due to Risk of Lead Exposure

Children’s Metal Jewelry Recalled by Colossal Jewelry & Accessories Due to Risk of Lead Exposure

Cherrydale Fundraising Recalls Bracelets Due to Risk of Lead Exposure

Hopefully you didn't already purchase any of these…

Herbert Saffir, an engineer who created the five-category system used to describe hurricane strength and warn millions of an approaching storm's danger, has died. He was 90.

Saffir died Wednesday of complications from surgery, said his son, Richard Saffir.

A structural engineer, Saffir created his scale in 1969 — laying out for the first time what kind of damage could be expected from an approaching hurricane. It has since become the definitive way to describe intensity for storms that form in the Atlantic and parts of the Pacific. Before the scale, hurricanes were simply described as major or minor.

…

Saffir's wife, Sarah, preceded him in death. Besides his son, he is survived by daughter Barbara Saffir.

Rest In Peace, Herbert.

There has been a huge development in the Natalee Holloway case…

Three young men previously detained as suspects in the 2005 disappearance of American teenager Natalee Holloway have been re-arrested in the case, the Aruban public prosecutor's office said Wednesday.

Holloway disappeared on May 30, 2005, hours before she was scheduled to fly home to Alabama after a high school graduation trip to this Dutch Caribbean resort island. The 18-year-old was last seen in public leaving a bar with the three young men who now are again suspects in her disappearance.

Dutch teenager Joran van der Sloot and two Surinamese brothers, Satish and Deepak Kalpoe, were arrested on suspicion of involvement in manslaughter and causing seriously bodily harm that caused the death of the American teenager, the prosecutor's office said in a statement.

It's not like we all didn't have a strong idea that they were involved with her disappearance. I just wonder what new incriminating evidence was found to make the Aruban authorities take this action.

It took a lot to get them to look at them in the first place, let alone make the initial arrests. Let's hope the case moves forward and the mystery about what happened to Natalee is finally answered.