This bleak picture should by no means prevent college students from using credit cards; it should only help students to avoid misusing them. If you know how to keep the key rules in mind and keep them in control while planning your purchases, you can master the art of handling credit cards and be able to use them effectively and to your best possible advantage.

College Credit Cards: The Painless Plan

• Plan a Budget: Firstly, figure out your weekly and monthly expenses. These are usually food, books, and transportation expenses. College student credit cards, like traditional cards, provide monthly billing statements that should help in determining your overall budget.

• Stick to the budget carefully: Plan to use your credit card to meet just these key expenses. Remember that the trouble usually starts when you do not meet your monthly payments. This problem can be easily avoided if you plan your credit card expenses well in advance. This means preventing debt from building up and paying your credit card bills on time.

• Use your credit card only for major expenses. College student credit cards should usually not be used for everyday expenses but reserved for the big buys or emergencies only. Use them for long-term purchases such as furniture and books.

• Don’t splurge: If you don’t have money in your wallet to meet miscellaneous expenses, then don’t buy them at all! Buying beer for your friends, purchasing CDs on the Net and buying soda can all add up, even if they seem inexpensive at the time of purchase.

• Don’t let your parents help you: Be responsible and mature enough to control excessive expenses without calling up Mom and Dad to help bail you out. If you are old enough to use a credit card, then you should be wise enough to use them responsibly.

College Student Credit Cards: What is In It for You?

If you think you can handle it, it is time to take a closer look at why you should make the effort to learn how to handle a credit card:

– A credit card can help you make purchases online or over the telephone.

– Credit cards are critical during emergencies.

– They can also help you finance your larger expense items.

– You can build your credit rating with responsible use, which will be helpful later while making business investments, buying your first house, and even when getting your first job.

Get a Head Start

So college student credit cards could be the perfect way to secure your financial future. Please do keep in mind that even in the student market, companies offer differing rates of interest and interest-free periods. So shop for your credit card wisely. Think of this as great practice for the future, when you might be juggling more than one card, student loans, and maybe even a mortgage on your house.

Once you have decided on a specific college credit card, it is important to understand how it works and the benefits you can reap from it. Keep a close watch on your bills, and figure out ways of paying the monthly bills. Watch out for better offers as well, because you don’t want to be stuck paying higher interest rates then you need to.

Robert Alan advises that you visit CreditCardAssist.com for more information on college student credit cards.

1. The next time you order checks, have only your initials (instead of your first name) and last name put on them. If someone takes your checkbook, they won’t know if you sign your checks with just your initials or your first name, but your bank will know how you sign your checks.

2. When you are writing checks to pay your Credit card accounts, DO NOT put the complete Account number on the “For” line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number, and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check processing channels won’t have access to it.

3. Put your work phone number on your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a PO Box, use that instead of your home address. If you don’t have a PO Box, use your work address.

4. Never have your Social Security number or driver’s license number printed on your checks. You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have it printed, anyone can get it.

5. Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. It’s also a good idea to carry a photocopy of your passport when traveling abroad.

6. For couples or friends traveling together – each of you should carry a different, unique credit card. For example, one of you could carry a Visa card and one of you a Discover card. Don’t both carry the same credit card! That way if one of you has their credit card stolen, you still have a valid credit card to use and aren’t completely without funds while you are traveling.

7. Another tip for couples or friends traveling together – each of you should carry the other person’s photo copies of their credit cards and passport. If someone steals your wallet or purse, your traveling companion still has copies of all your information.

8. When you’re reading email, don’t click on any of the links listed in the email message. No matter how tempting the offer is! This is a way ‘phishers’ use to direct you to their website and capture your credit card and Personal Information.

9. We are told to cancel our credit cards immediately. But the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep these numbers where you can find them separate from your credit cards.

10. File a police report immediately in the city where your credit cards, purse or wallet were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an Investigation.

About The Author 
Beth Gabriel – I developed http://www.prepaid-legal-help-4u.com/ to help the ‘little guy’ have access to legal services previously reserved for the wealthy!