Dec
23
2009

Smart Spending and Your First Student Credit Card

When you get your first student credit card you have the opportunity to learn good spending habits and proper use of credit. It will also help start your credit history and build your credit score which are both extremely valuable to your future. These factors will help determine the type of interest rates you will get when you need a loan for a major purchase like a house or car. If you use your student credit card correctly and do not treat it as if it is free money, then you will have a much better financial future.

One smart rule to follow is to only use your student credit card as if it were cash that you have to spend which means you can afford the item. If you do not follow this simple rule then you run the risk of accumulating lots of college student credit card debt that will be increasingly difficult to pay off. Another rule you need to follow is to not just pay the minimum payment. Since your credit card is basically a loan it has an interest rate associated with it and if you only pay the minimum payment, then it will be extremely tough to pay down the debt since the money will mainly go towards interest. If your student credit card spending does get out of control then do not cancel your card as it will hurt your credit score. You need to make sure you stop using it and create a plan to pay off the debt before you use the card ever again.

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