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Credit Card for Students
For most university students, credit cards arent high on their priority list for things to take care of after all, students with loans can pay for things with direct debit from their bank accounts, as can students that are being assisted financially by their parents.
The simple truth of the matter is that most students dont think about credit cards, so that when it gets to the point that they need one, they end up rushing through the selection process, ending up with a credit card that isnt optimal for their needs or worse one that actually ends up being detrimental for them in the long run.
So what should a student seeking a credit card do? Simple, they need to research! Look at a wide variety of student credit cards, their benefits and their drawbacks. Only select one that you feel comfortable with and that you feel addresses your needs well, while not providing you with too many setbacks.
So what characteristics should you look for? Well, here are a few things to keep in mind in your search for the perfect student credit card.
Fees
Some credit cards charge you an annual fee for their usage; I like to counsel students to stay away from these types of credit cards, as usually their good points are not enough to outweigh the fact that you have to pay for them. Youve already good tuition, textbooks, residence and many other things to worry about, no sense in adding another to the list.
Credit cards that charge annual fees are intended more for business people that spend lots of money and have lots of disposable income, not for students on a fixed budget. As a result, most student credit cards wont have such a fee attached to them. If they do however, consider whether you really need the benefits of that specific credit card before you sign up for it.
Spending Limits
When I started my first year of undergraduate studies, the first credit card I applied for had a credit limit of $500, and it ended up being more than I needed at the time. As I went through University and my general expenses increased, I ended up applying to have that limit raised to $1000 and adding a second credit card with a limit at $1500 this was mostly just for when I bought textbooks or paid for tuition, as I wanted to get the maximum advantage out of my credit card bonus plans, but it was a good example of me getting the most out of the cards.
Incentives
Incentives are bonuses that the companies attach to their student credit cards in order to entice more people into signing up for them. A good example of this is the “cashback” credit card, where a certain small percentage of what you spend on your credit card is refunded to you.
A credit card that was popular amongst friends of mine was the grocery credit card, which was given out by one of the chains of grocery stores where we lived. Instead of direct cashback, they offered a store credit that was twice the value of most cashback plans at the time, the practicality of which appealed to a lot of students.
Interest Rates
Ideally, this shouldnt ever be a problem, as youd be able to pay off your balance each month and thus never accrue interest on your account. Practically, however, things wont always work out that way. Therefore, interest needs to be a concern as well.
The industry average for credit card annual interest rates is somewhere in the 19-23% range, compounded monthly. However, being a student you should take advantages of the discounts available to you if you do your research, you should be able to find a card that suits your needs with a student discount interest rate in the 10-15% range.
While 10% may not seem like a whole lot, if you ever lose your job, have to quit or have some other unexpected event that affects your finances, the interest can build up very quickly. One way to partially prevent this is to purposely search for a lower interest rate first.
Bringing One Hour Payday Loans Out Of The Dark Ages
The recent revolution in the availability of one hour payday loans simply reflects the current state of the world’s economy. More and more families are having to scramble to pay their bills and make ends meet. Forbid they should ever fall prey to some type of financial emergency such as a sick child or a thrown rod in the engine of the family car. One hour payday loans of the past were often shady, back alley operations that were barley recognized much less regulated. But those days are gone with the changing times and the realization that this once looked down upon operation, with a little retooling, could provide a safe, legal and easy means to help consumers out of a financial bind.. In the bad old days cash advance lenders would take advantage of customers who obviously were not going to have the means to pay them back. Then would continue to pile interest and fees on top of the unpaid balance to the point that payback was an impossibility.
Today one hour payday loans are easily accessible on the internet eliminating even the necessity to go down to the corner pawn shop to apply. Modern online forms are quick and painless. And because you apply from the privacy of your home, gone also is the embarrassment of having to reveal your financial status to a complete stranger face to face. Simply by proving that your are 18 years of age, have verifiable income from a job that you have held for at least 90 days and have some type of active bank account that has direct deposit set up you are well on your way to becoming approved. There is no need for a credit check or any type of inquiry into your credit history and no collateral is required. The reason for this is that the lender will extend you a short term one hour payday loan solely on the promise of a post dated check that you provide online. Once approved, the funds are wire transferred to your bank account where once received they are ready for your immediate withdrawal.
Of course securing a one hour payday loan is not free. In fact the interest rate can be quite high, anywhere from 15% – 30%. Which means for every $100 you borrow on a 25% loan you will be paying back $125. Because these loans are so short term, 30 days tops and more likely a two week repay time frame, the lender must make his money quickly. But the fast turnaround time and high volume of business the lender experiences makes it well worth his while. Many one hour payday loan sites have cropped up in recent years to capitalize on the growing financial instability of our modern society. The vast majority of these operations are legitimate and above board. One hour payday loans have become a way for consumers to quickly and easily secure funds for any emergency situation and these loans are for just that quick cash for emergency situations. These are not loans to vacation on or do your Christmas shopping with. They are to help you, as they have helped millions of people just like you and I, to overcome the occasional financial obstacle that gets tossed our way.