Unfortunately, every year thousands of college students get student credit card offers and decide to get a credit card that they’re not ready for. They get the card and spend money on it, paying back either a small amount of it, or none of it at all. It is only years later that they realize why they shouldn’t have gotten the credit card in the first place. But what’s wrong with a student credit card? Aren’t they a great way to allow students to have some money without having to balance work and studying?
About Student Credit Card Offers
Before you take anyone up on their offer, think about this for a minute: why would credit card companies be so eager to give a student credit card offer to a student? A student whom they know most likely doesn’t work a full time job and who has limited resources? Most credit card companies do is to that they can make money. They realize that these college students are going to spend money on their cards without paying the money back, and the longer the money goes unpaid, the easier it is for the credit card companies to swoop in and to charge the unwitting student with tons of fees and interest rates, until someone, often mom and dad, come in and clean up the mess.
Why Get Them Then?
If they’re so much trouble, why should you ever take a company up on their student credit card offer? Because they can be as helpful as they can be hurtful. While a student credit card offer that you’ve accepted can cause you to have huge headaches if the debt isn’t paid back, it can also help you to build up your credit score. Everything runs on credit, and if you don’t have a credit score, or have a very low one, you’re much less likely to be able to get a loan as you get older. Used the right way, a student credit card can help you to build your credit while you’re in school.
If you’ve received a student credit card offer, make sure that the offer is a good one (fairly low interest rates, no annual fees, ect) before you decide to accept it. Once you do accept it, make sure that you pay back any money that you borrow on it. Think of it like a loan from your parents – only this one you have to pay back.
About Student Credit Card Offers
Before you take anyone up on their offer, think about this for a minute: why would credit card companies be so eager to give a student credit card offer to a student? A student whom they know most likely doesn’t work a full time job and who has limited resources? Most credit card companies do is to that they can make money. They realize that these college students are going to spend money on their cards without paying the money back, and the longer the money goes unpaid, the easier it is for the credit card companies to swoop in and to charge the unwitting student with tons of fees and interest rates, until someone, often mom and dad, come in and clean up the mess.
Why Get Them Then?
If they’re so much trouble, why should you ever take a company up on their student credit card offer? Because they can be as helpful as they can be hurtful. While a student credit card offer that you’ve accepted can cause you to have huge headaches if the debt isn’t paid back, it can also help you to build up your credit score. Everything runs on credit, and if you don’t have a credit score, or have a very low one, you’re much less likely to be able to get a loan as you get older. Used the right way, a student credit card can help you to build your credit while you’re in school.
If you’ve received a student credit card offer, make sure that the offer is a good one (fairly low interest rates, no annual fees, ect) before you decide to accept it. Once you do accept it, make sure that you pay back any money that you borrow on it. Think of it like a loan from your parents – only this one you have to pay back.