The 2011 Academy Awards are fast approaching. With celebrities top of mind, we thought it fitting to present our own award ceremony of sorts - the top 5 credit card ads featuring celebs of all time.

Even if this year's iPhone 5 doesn't incorporate the much-hyped Near Field Communication (NFC) capabilities, a future without credit cards is pretty much guaranteed. But don't go cutting up your prized plastic just yet. A complete system overhaul is still a ways off.

How is a credit phone possible?

NFC – the tiny chip inserted in your smartphone or smart device that allows a purchase or transaction to be made simply by waving your device near a reader – has been a hugely successful technology in some parts of Asia and, in a much more limited scope, have popped up here and there in the US and Europe. The chips can send and receive data, and if attached to your bank account will deduct payment on the go, letting you charge as you chat.

Close your eyes and imagine your boyfriend is taking you on a romantic date for your birthday.  Admittedly, your boyfriend is kind of a scrub, and rarely pays for your meals, but this is an extraordinary day that you've waited all year for, so you're expecting him to pick up the tab this time around.  You lift the menu from the elegant white tablecloth and begin perusing the decadent options.  You've been thinking about getting a world-class steak all day, and the peppercorn filet mignon with garlic mashed potatoes gets your mouth watering.

Seasoned travelers never seem to have to deal with the same fears as the rest of us: pickpockets, stolen credit cards, crazy high conversion fees, identity theft. Beyond that, seasoned travelers never seem to follow the same precautions as paranoid, green travelers, who run out to buy a cross-body, Kevlar-enforced, locking, zipping, security purse before they even book a hotel. Part of that is probably sheer confidence - frequent travelers rarely look like tourists and therefore avoid detection from preying pickpockets. The other, bigger part is that with a few precautions, that giant traveler's purse may not be completely necessary.

"Save more money" is a very normal goal for a New Year’s resolution. But if you aren’t rolling in disposable income, it can be tricky to figure out where to pinch the pennies that will pay off in the long run. Setting a budget – even a loose one – is the easiest way to have a few extra dollars to tuck away each month.