Having the amount of cash you need on hand when you need it is important when you are a student. What may be even more important is that some credit cards will save you more money than others allowing you to have even more money on hand if you are on limited budget. Here is how you can choose the right student credit card and get more money back.
Student credit cards come with a variety of benefits. Each category is designed to be of particular benefit according to your specific needs. This way you choose the kind of student credit card that will be the most benefit to you. These cards range from driver's cards, which give points or rebates for the gas and car repairs you pay for, to entertainment cards that give points for going to movies, purchasing DVD's, CD's and other electronics, to air miles for your flights and hotels.
By choosing the type of card that you need - or according to your greatest expenditures each month, you can get discounts, cash back, or even free stuff like trips, tickets, free movies, tickets to Disneyland, and more. Normally, most student credit cards have two levels for giving out their points. A higher level focusing on the type of card it is, a gas card will give the most points for gas purchases at their brand of gas station, but will give fewer points or cash back for other purchases, like food, restaurants, and clothes.
Most student credit cards have a higher interest rate, simply because you either do not have a credit rating yet, or have not had enough time to have earned a reliable credit score. This means you should look at the credit card as a tool to build your credit score. Right use can mean that you can get bigger amounts of credit for those larger items you want to buy when you get out of college - or even before you finish.
Before you sign the agreement, though, you want to do some comparative shopping and read the fine print. Credit cards, like anything else, have good ones and not so good ones. Start by looking at the interest rate. Select one that is about as low as you can get. After the introductory period wears off, you will be paying this rate if you do not pay the card off in full each month. Also, compare the various fees, and find the one with the lowest fees. It should also allow you to make balance transfers, too, without charging you for it.
Credit cards for students may or may not require a consignor. While some do not, the credit limit will be low to start with - again, until you build a credit rating. Watch out for being late with payments - this could place you instantly, regardless of the introductory offer, into a higher interest rate.
Another possibility is a prepaid student credit card. These act like debit cards in that you make a deposit and then you can use the card to access your money when you shop. You do not need a credit score of any kind to get this kind of card - or even a job. Some of them will allow you to build your credit rating. If that is what you want (recommended) then make sure the credit card company reports to the credit bureaus. There will probably be an extra fee for this service.
