Student Credit Cards: Good or Bad?

photo credit: Andres Rueda

More and more credit card companies are trying to push plastic on college students. If you are a college student it is safe to say that you have seen credit card reps setting up shop and signing up unsuspecting passer-bys. The question is: are student credit cards good or bad?

Generally speaking, college students should stay away from credit cards. It is entirely too easy to spend recklessly when carrying plastic. Additionally, more and more students are ruining their credit history and score before they ever leave college. As you can imagine, this will put you behind the eight ball after graduation.

There are sometimes when a student credit card may make sense. For instance, if you need money to purchase books, or just want to carry plastic for emergencies, this may be something to consider. But before you fill out an application you want to think long and hard about the pros and cons.

Student credit cards can be both good and bad. As a student you will have a lot of pressure on you to obtain a credit card. Whether or not you give in is up to you. Just make sure you know what you are getting into, both the advantages and drawbacks.