By Laura Mack, ProudMoney.com, lmack@proudmoney.com

If you’ve ever fallen behind on a payment, you know that debt collectors can be pesky. If you’ve ever fallen seriously behind on a payment, you know that debt collectors can be deviously creative, using every trick in the book to drive you so crazy that you will give up money you don’t have just to get them out of your life. Often, their tactics are downright illegal.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) posted a new guide today that may help. It tells you what debt collectors can and can’t do in their attempts to get you to pay, and what you can do in response if those attempts boil over to harassment.

By Adam Jusko, ProudMoney.com, adam@proudmoney.com

A new survey from American Consumer Credit Counseling reports that 72% of women say they handle the money in their households, while only 26% of men said the same. (Since those numbers only add up to 98%, it seems a small percentage of households are unsure of who’s in charge 🙂 )

However, the survey was only done on the Web site of American Consumer Credit Counseling, and it only included 204 respondents, so we aren’t completely convinced of its accuracy. Nevertheless, it raises an interesting question.

By Adam Jusko, ProudMoney.com, adam@proudmoney.com

What would you pay for a two-day Star Wars-themed hotel stay that incorporates YOU into the storyline?

Disney announced this weekend its plans for a Star-Wars-themed hotel at Walt Disney World that will be more than just a place to stay while enjoying the Disney parks in Orlando. Instead, it will be an “immersive” experience that makes you a character in a two-day story — including dressing you for your part, creating a starship experience that allows you to view “space” through the “windows,” having you interact with Star Wars characters throughout your stay, and touching “every single minute of your day.”

By Adam Jusko, ProudMoney.com, adam@proudmoney.com

Airbnb and Audi are combining on a contest that is going to let a family live and sleep in Allianz Arena in Munich during the Audi Cup soccer/football matches taking place August 1 & 2, essentially right on the sidelines.

By Adam Jusko, ProudMoney.com, adam@proudmoney.com

If you’re getting married and traditional wedding registry items just aren’t your speed, why not list what you really want? Wine and liquor! A new Web site, ThirstyNest, is here to help. Calling itself “the first curated wine and spirits registry,” ThirstyNest allows couples to create their dream bar, including the alcohol itself as well as drinkware and accessories such as wine racks and bar carts.

ThirstyNest is an online-only registry that works like other wedding registries — couples create a registry list for their big day and their guests can access the registry to see what the couple has chosen. ThirstyNest provides a unique URL for each registry that couples can include in invitations or their wedding Websites.