So, youre a student attending college, and youve been tempted by the idea of credit cards. Nothing unusual there, most of us from all walks of life have the same temptation. The difference for you the student is, as youre just starting out, the way you deal with credit now can affect you in many ways, for a long time into the future. In years to come you may need a mortgage, a car, etc, and establishing a good credit record now will be very useful. These days your credit history can even affect the way potential employers look at you.
For a lot of young people getting a credit card when they have no credit history is nigh on impossible, but fortunately college students are in a better position. They are seen as less of a risk by the credit card companies than certain other groups of youngsters, and so are more likely to be offered a card. Using this first credit card responsibly is extremely important.
The reason you have to be careful is that your use of the student credit card is monitored very closely by the issuing company and the credit bureaus, and because you dont yet have a good credit history behind you, any slip-ups like late payments etc are viewed...