What You Should Know Before You Apply For A Credit Card
Before you go and decide to apply for a credit card to buy those new shoes, you may want to take a moment to carefully consider your purchase. Being away from home at college is a liberating time. You are surrounded by new people and have a new set of responsibilities placed onto your shoulders. Applications for MasterCard, Discover and Visa credit cards are all around you. The mantra of “buy now, pay later” echoes through the halls.
Instant approval credit cards may be a godsend when you find yourself in desperate need of school supplies or in need of the basic essentials. However, far too often the ability to easily apply and get one can lead to massive financial problems. Student credit card debt is out of control. Students are inundated with bank credit cards, MasterCard or Visa credit card offers and many do not consider the ramifications of how easy it is to abuse their use.
No one doubts that college is expensive. Tuition, room, board and associated fees can wipe out savings very quickly. You, as a student, may have such an immense class schedule that makes working part time impossible. This is especially difficult if you are involved in school activities, such as sports or academic organizations. Most parents cannot afford to pay for all the extra expenses a student incurs, not to mention if there are off campus expenses and luxuries wanted.
It is important to remember that when you apply for a credit card and have received it, you have agreed to the lender’s terms. Only use the line of credit as an emergency source of funds should you find yourself in need. You do not want to find yourself with maxed out cards and no way to meet the monthly minimum payments. Pay attention to the fine print and the interest rates.
Do not apply for a credit card every time you walk into a store. Don’t fill out an online credit card application every time you are surfing the net. While you want to have a good credit rating, each credit card you apply for goes against your credit score and can begin lowering it dramatically. There is a delicate balance between improving your rating and seriously hurting your credit score. Be smart, build credit ratings, use your credit wisely and you will learn how to be financially responsible.
Published by The Money Manager
