rue or False: Credit cards outnumber people in the United States. Are you surprised that it's true? Today there's a card for every cause and more than one for every person. With so many cards available, how can you choose the right one for you? If you review each card's fine print and identify your credit card habits, you can find a card with the features and terms that best match your needs.

What fees will you pay? "Issuers are much more aggressive with fees than they used to be," says Gerri Detweiler, credit and debt consultant and author of "The Ultimate Credit Handbook" (ISBN 0-452-26946-6). Besides the familiar annual fee, many charge fees for cash advances, late payments, spending over your limit--and even for not carrying a balance!       Issuers also are shortening or eliminating grace periods, the length of time you have before you're charged interest on new purchases. If your payment arrives late, you'll pay not only interest but possibly a late fee as well.       Again, every credit card solicitation must list its interest rates and fees. Look at those first to see if the terms are acceptable to you.

What kind of credit consumer are you? Do you carry a balance? Pay on time? Switch cards often? Examine how you use your cards and how much you pay for the privilege. "Be honest with yourself," Detweiler says. "People underestimate how frequently or how much they carry on a balance. Go back to your statements to see what balances you carry and how much you paid in interest."       If you frequently carry a balance, search for the lowest interest rate available. "A low interest rate will usually outweigh an annual fee," says Detweiler. You can find rate comparisons at the Bank Rate Monitor, Inc.'s Web site and at RAM Research's Web site.       Also note how the issuer calculates finance charges. According to the National Institute for Consumer Education at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, the adjusted balance method is the least expensive; the previous balance method is the most expensive.       If you pay off your balance every month, choose a card with an interest-free grace period and no annual fee, Detweiler says. Or you may opt to pay an annual fee in exchange for a rebate card (which earns frequent flier miles, cash back, and so on) or a gold card (which may offer rental car insurance and other perks). Make sure the payoff is worth the price of the annual fee. "Decide which rebate card is best and concentrate on one," says Andrew Feinberg, author of "Downsize Your Debt: How To Take Control of Your Personal Finances" (ISBN 0-14-013428-X).

Be honest       with yourself about       how you use your       credit card.