5 Things to Know Before You Apply for a Student Credit Card

5:31 pm

One of the more frustrating things of being a student is not having an income to qualify for a credit card. Especially at those times when you are traveling or shopping, you have no choice but to bring a wad of cash around. What’s more, without a credit card, you can’t enjoy the reward programs and claim for household items, shopping vouchers or even airline miles.

Credit card companies have realized the convenience of credit cards to students and therefore have come up with Student Credit Cards. Of course, without an income or a credit history, applicants of these credit cards have to rely on their parent’s consent in order to qualify for a credit limit. As having and using a student credit card requires a certain level or responsibility, it is best that you evaluate the following facts on student credit cards before you apply for one.

Easy money, easy debt

Many students and parents aim to utilize student credit cards to build a credit profile, but lack the foresight to see that this is actually a double-edged sword. Inexperienced with managing their finances, clouded by 0% APR and enticing reward programs, many students have fallen into the debt trap through their student credit cards. This leads to heavy debt and financial difficulties well before they even graduate.

Read the fine print

If there’s one thing common on student naivety, it is their failure to read the fine print on the terms and conditions of getting a credit card. This leads to ignorance of the introductory period for the 0% APR and the high interest rates thereafter. As it is so easy to get these credit cards and convenient to spend with them, many students fall into heavy debt once the 0% APR period is over.

How to choose a credit card

Credit card companies are getting more aggressive in their marketing initiatives that students often have a tough time making up their minds on the card of their choice. One of the best ways to evaluate a card is to obtain peer recommendations on their experience in using the cards.

Learn to manage your finances

Student credit cards provide students with an opportunity to manage their finances well before they graduate. They will need to ensure that they pay their outstanding balances on time, as well as to keep track of their allowances and expenditure.

Build a good credit history

It is a known fact that without a credit history, college graduates will have to make do with the inconvenience of not having a credit card when they are employed. Thus, in order to make things easier for the future, you need to ensure that credit card debt is well-managed to build a good credit record for easier approval on your future loan applications.