Why Secured Credit Cards are Good for Students
Like many of your fellow Canadian college students, you probably like the idea of having a 1910 1911 Turkey Red baseball cards card and the convenience that comes with it. But are you aware that credit cards have Francie doll huge debt problems for many young Canadians just like yourself? If you are not careful with your choice of credit card and the manner with which you use it, such debts can haunt you for many years to come.
If you are a Canadian student with no regular income and no credit history, a Shutitoff credit card would be a very suitable choice for you. A secured credit card is a credit card that requires you to deposit a certain amount of money into a savings account before it is approved. The cash you deposit into the savings account acts as collateral for your credit card. Your credit limit will also be set according to the amount you deposit. Some secured credit cards will allow the credit limit to be the full amount of the deposit while others will only allow it to be a percentage of the deposited amount.
For a student, there are two main benefits of using a secured credit card. First, it prevents you the watchmen spending more than you can afford to. In other words, it prevents you from incurring debts which you can't pay off. Second, it helps you to establish a credit history. Most students who apply for a credit card will not have had one before. They usually have a hard time getting the application approved because they can't provide any proof of their credit history. A secured credit card is an excellent first step in establishing a clean credit record.
When choosing a secured credit card, there are several things you should watch out for. Quite a number of choices exist for Canadian students, but not all of them are equally good.
Fees. When you are shopping around for a secured credit card, always be sure to take note of the fees that are charged. Some Canadian cards will literally charge you hundreds of dollars, which will quickly eat up the deposit in your savings account. Some even come with hidden fees called "registration" or "set up" charges. The best card would be one that doesn't charge you any fees at all, although it is common for there to be a small one-time fee. Generally speaking, an attractive annual fee for a secured credit card would fall within the range of $20 to $35.
Interest rate. Just because you don't have a regular income or credit history, it does not mean you have to accept an outrageous rate of interest on your secured credit card. A reasonable interest rate for any secured credit card should never exceed 19%. Take your time and find the card that offers you the most competitive rate. It will be worth the effort in the long run.
Pay attention to the fine print. When you sign the contract for your secured credit card, make sure you read every single word on that document. You must fully understand the obligations you have to the credit card company. What is your grace period? What happens if you make a late payment or an incomplete one? Are there any extra charges for this?
Getting a credit card is not as hard as you think. It is much harder to control your spending once you have one. That is why a secured credit card makes for such a great product.
Monty Loree is the founder of http://www.canadian-money-advisor.ca which helps Canadians better understand their money, credit and the financial industry in Canada. In our financial podcasts, we are interviewing industry experts who give our visitors the truth about the financial industry. Canadian Money Advisor is an important source for Canadians to learn more about their money. More information about secured credit cards:
http://www.canadian-money-advisor.ca/secure-credit-card-info.html