A Guide for Student Credit Cards

Oh, what a wonderful and terrifying time going off to college can be. Moving
away from home and making it on your own is a huge step. You have taken all
of the right classes to prepare you to succeed as a college student. But,
you need the proper education outside the classroom in order to succeed.
That includes knowing how to handle your student credit cards.

Keep Your Head On Straight!

One of the first things you will notice when you arrive on campus is that
there are student credit card vendors everywhere. It makes sense, really.
The credit card companies want to establish relationships while their client
base is young. This relationship can lead to car loans and mortgages down
the road, not to mention finance fees generated by the exuberant spending of
American youth.
Before you embark on this smorgasbord of credit consumption, you ought to
consider a few things.

Consider, for instance, that the average student ends their college career
with just under $3000 in credit card debt.
An astounding ten percent of all students graduate with more than seven
thousand dollars in credit card debt. I know, I know, you hear this
statistic all of the time. It seems abstract and it is easy to tell
yourself, "Well, I'm not the average student; I won't fall into that trap."
That's good. No, really, that is a great frame of mind. The
(difficult) trick is to keep that perspective so you don't get seduced by
your newfound spending power.

Some Quick Tips

Here are a few quick tips to keep your finances in order:

1. Keep your card count low - Have you ever seen John Q.
Consumer with 39 credit cards in his wallet? Absurd. Since you are just
starting to build your credit history you shouldn't need more than a couple
of cards. Choose wisely.

2. Shop Around - Don't grab the first credit card offer you see. There are
a ton of options out there, and a little patience will get you settled into
the card you need, and possibly save you much money and stress over the long
run.

3. Pay Your Balance!!! - It's the cardinal rule for developing superior
credit: keep your balance low, and pay it off completely when it's
appropriate. If you do this now, you will get far better credit card offers
in the future.

4. Tell Your Parents - Yeah, yeah. it's the last thing any college student
wants to hear. "Tell your parents." Um, yeah. right. Well, in spite of your
new independence you should let your parents know about your credit cards.
They are a good resource for not just emergency financial support, but more
importantly, for financial advice.

"In Conclusion."

Finding the right student credit card can make all of the difference. Two of
the most popular student credit cards are the Citi Platinum Select for
College Students, and the Discover Student Clear Card. The Citi Platinum
Select Card is an all around solid choice for first time card owners.
It is an essentially bulletproof option for any student looking to establish
credit history without having to worry about a minimum income, or a
co-signor on the card. For those students looking for a little extra, they
should start with the Discover Student Clear Card. The Clear Card has a lot
of extra features, including up to 5% cash back on specific purchases. Both
cards share a six month introductory APR of 0%.

When you arrive to college it is a good idea to get a student credit card or
two, but it's a better idea to use them wisely. You will quickly find that
the right card is an extremely useful tool for your purchasing habits and
developing a stable credit history. You shouldn't be afraid of credit card
ownership; rather you should realize that this is an early step to develop a
happy financial picture in the long run.

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To find Student Credit Card Applications click the following link:
http://www.credit-card-surplus.com/student.php . Ed Vegliante runs
http://www.credit-card-surplus.com , a credit card directory enabling the
consumer to compare and apply for credit cards.