Women's History Month: Money

March is Women's History Month, so this week we're pairing notable events in women's history with a related tip that you can use whether you're female or male.

Event: 1974's Equal Credit Opportunity Act gave married women the right to have credit cards and bank loans in their own name. Prior to that, in many states, wives had to defer to their husbands for credit card use, and women had to have a male cosigner to get a loan.

Tip: Use your plastic for good. Vote with your wallet and use your spending power to communicate to corporations that you refuse to buy things that were produced in an environmentally degrading way. Support companies that are making efforts to preserve the planet.