The Benefits And Disadvantages Of Student Credit Cards

Word Count:
353

Summary:
There are very few people who don't have credit cards. Most people who are over the age of 18 can testify getting many unsolicited letters from dozens of credit card companies, each one promising to help you save money, if you would just get a credit card through them.

Of course there is no denying that credit cards are very convenient. You can pay for almost anything and you don't need to carry wads of cash around with you. Credit cards especially come in handy when you a...


Keywords:
credit cards,student credit cards


Article Body:
There are very few people who don't have credit cards. Most people who are over the age of 18 can testify getting many unsolicited letters from dozens of credit card companies, each one promising to help you save money, if you would just get a credit card through them.

Of course there is no denying that credit cards are very convenient. You can pay for almost anything and you don't need to carry wads of cash around with you. Credit cards especially come in handy when you are a student. Just think of all those unexpected expenses that come up all the time, such as extra course material that you have to pay for, or the science trip your professor organized.

However, with students not being the most responsible people on the planet, there is a danger that credit cards can be used in the wrong way and for the wrong things. Hence parents have a responsibility to educate their kids in the correct and responsible use of credit cards.

What if a student finds himself in an unforeseen emergency of some sort? If he has credit available he can use the credit card to rescue himself. Putting spending limits on your credit card adds a measure of control and security, especially for the student who may find himself short of cash at some point.

With the advent of Internet banking most card issuers are giving their customers 24 hour access to their accounts. This means that one can easily check your balance which is an additional benefit. Because if you see that you have somewhat overspent you can curb your spending.

Another way that parents can keep student credit card spending in check is by having the credit card in the name of the parents. That way the parents can have better control over the spending habits of their children and they can for example set their own spending limits. If they see that their children act irresponsibly they can punish them by withholding funds for things they really want. This will add as a deterrent towards behaving irresponsibly and encourage responsible spending habits.