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Credit Cards for Students Explained
Whether one likes it or not, the fact is that credit cards are slowly and surely becoming indispensable parts of modern lives. The convenience that a credit card provides is making them really invaluable in making purchases and availing of the other benefits they provide. Surely then, students would not like to be much away from the lure of the credit cards. Today student credits are becoming almost as popular as the credit cards meant for adults.
Student credit cards can be used in much the same way as the adult credit cards can, but there are certain restrictions. For student credit cards, a parent or a guardian generally needs to cosign. This is to ensure there is backup in case the student is not able to meet up with the payments. The limits on these cards are also lower than on adult cards. Student credit cards seldom go beyond credit limits of $500 to $1000. In addition, student credit cards have higher rates of interest for two reasons: 1) because students may not be able to pay off their bills and 2) students do not have any credit ratings to show.
However, there are many plus points to student credit cards. One of the most important ones is that students can learn finance management from a very young age. Parents must encourage their children to become wholly responsible for the payments on their credit cards. This ensures that the student would grow up to manage his/her incomes better. Another thing is that the student would be able to build up a credit record from a very young age. Of course this would depend on how efficiently the student manages to make his/her payments on the credit card in time.
The best thing a student can do is to make a budget in the beginning of the month. This should take into account how much the student can afford to spend on the credit card. Making a realistic budget and then sticking to it will make the credit card a very efficient tool in the hands of the student.
It is not necessary to be intimidated of student credit cards and to reject them for that reason. On the contrary, the best thing is to buy the card and then make proper efforts to make the payments. In this way, the student will always have money to get what he/she wants, like a movie or a concert ticket, a new pair of jeans, or even a new cell phone. Treating the card with respect from the student age could be a major leap in learning how to live with financial independence in later life.
Credit Cardholder Protections
Certain laws are on the books to protect consumers from unscrupulous credit card issuers. It pays to know what guidelines the various financial institutions should follow in regards to cardholder protections.
You are entitles to have your credits posted promptly for your payments. By law your payment must be reflected on their books the day they receive it or the next business day after if it was received if arriving in the afternoon generally. Each issuer can make up certain rules of their own within the confines of what is legal and allowed but your payment must be treated with due process when it arrives..
Be certain to follow the postal instructions so your funds reach the issuer’s billing department without any hassle. If you accidentally send your payment to the wrong place it could take weeks or more to correct, and you would still be liable for your payment not reaching the credit card issuer or financial institution in time. I f you can’t find the proper mailing envelope that came with your statement, be care to correctly copy the address off of the statement itself or call the credit card issuer to request the proper mailing address.
You might be entitled to refunds of credit balances. When you make a deposit that is over the total amount of credit allowed on your card, you are entitled to have the extra funds added or be issued a refund for the excessive amount of your deposit. Your money must be returned to you within seven business days of your request. If a credit remains on your card for more than 6 months, the issuer must make a good faith effort to send you your monies due.
Keep a close eye out for errors on your billing statement. Many people have a tendency to not notice this. Credit card issuers have the burden to be certain that your statement is correct, as they hold the responsibility to act when corrections are needed and justified. Albeit, many people have noticed that this is not the case in reality. Still consumers must be aware that they have the upper hand and that the law is on their side. Generally you will receive a brochure from your card issuer concerning what the individual rules are for the credit card you have at issue, and again about after every year passes. You might even receive a summary of these rights with your bill. Make sure you are aware of the rules in the long version instead of the smaller “key point” list that may come with your bill.
If you find a problem with your credit card bill, you can have a temporary hold put on the transaction while it is being disputed. If the resolution of the dispute ends in your favor, you will receive a credit for the amount. The dispute can be due for any a number of reasons including having recieved broken goods, services you purchased but did not receive. Remember that you still are responsible for payment of any amounts that are not in dispute on the bill, and that your due dates and the like are not adjusted because of a pending dispute.