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Career

The Pros and Cons of Having a Credit Card in College

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at WVU chapter.

Having a credit card can be the best or the worst experience you made to start your college career.  Credit cards are a serious matter. You must be sure you choose your credit card company correctly. There are many companies that are lenient on their pay back and rates, but if you don’t look into that, it can ruin your credit score tremendously. Sorry, but your credit score is unfortunately important.

 

Cons:

  1. Having a credit card can lead to reckless spending.
  2. If you don’t weigh your options or have the money to make payments, you can slowly fall into debt.
  3. There will always be another credit card out there that you will get accepted for or get in the mail. It sometimes can be beneficial, but other times it is hard for you to have the money to pay back your cards. Limits usually are not low, too.
  4. Your credit score will affect your entire life. Whether it would be looking to buy a house, car, or ask for a loan, your high credit score is what decides your major life decisions.

 

Pros:

  1. You will always have emergency money.
  2. You will be able to build your credit score.
  3. You will get a sense of responsibility to make the payments on time and the right amount.

 

Having a credit card can really affect your life out of college. If think you are irresponsible to keep track of your spending, get a card and start working it. If you are a big-time spender, I HIGHLY suggest you wait to until you can live without that new style or spend your whole paycheck at once. A credit card affect your life forever. That Gucci handbag…will not. 

Madelynn is a junior at West Virginia University. She is majoring in strategic communication with an emphasis in public relations. Madelynn plans on working for a non-profit organization after graduation. She is involved in Her Campus, Omega Phi Alpha, Ed On Campus, Active Minds, & WVU Student Events Board. Madelynn is passionate about community service and helping others. 
Hi ladies and gents, my name is Mel, Melanie if you're feelin' fancy. I'm a senior studying advertising, political science and fashion at West Virginia University. In addition to my studies, I am the Campus Correspondent for the WVU HC Chapter! You can hear me on the radio at U92 FM reporting the news and hosting morning shows. If I'm not there, I'm most likely at the local Panera eating my body weight in broccoli cheddar soup or writing about the daily, awkward encounters I experience. I represenative of the college of media as an ambassador and the prez of the magazine club. Oversized sweatshirts and jean on jean are my aesthetics. Lover, not a fighter unless you tell me Joe Jonas wasn't the best Jonas. Laters, baby.