Millions of consumers are crushed under the burden of debt after the colossal financial collapse in the US. So many of them have incurred insurmountable amount of debt and are struggling to pay back the owed amount. At this juncture, you are advised to take the help of a professional debt arbitrator who can help you manage your debts effortlessly. You can also hire the services of a debt management company as it might have financial experts to guide you pay off the debts with low interest rates. When you enroll in a debt management program, initially your credit score might drop, however, eventually, it will increase once you pay off the owed amount. Remember that enrolling in a debt management program shall not adversely affect your credit report as you might have poor credit record because of your delinquent accounts.

Know the process of debt management program:

The credit counseling companies often provide a debt management plan to their debt stricken clients to eliminate their financial woes. The certified counselor negotiates with the creditors to lower the interest rate on the principal balance to make it affordable to pay off. The counselor negotiates with each of the creditors to lower the interest rate on the outstanding balance. The agencies consolidate the debts into a single monthly payment and the money is disbursed among the creditors.

What are the advantages of debt management plan?

Debt management plan can help you attain financial liberty and help you get a debt free life. Debt management is a process where you can manage your debt through an affordable repayment plan in accordance with your budget. When the debtors enroll in a debt management program then he/she can avoid the harassing collection calls of the creditors. The delinquent accounts will be made current and you’ll be effortlessly coming out from the vicious cycle of debt.

How it affects your credit score:

The debt stricken consumers are under notion that taking help of a debt management plan will lower their credit score. The creditors might notify the delinquent accounts included in a debt management plan to the credit bureau. Remember that your delinquent accounts have already ruined your credit report so debt management plan will not severely affect your credit report. Once your pay off the owed amount through a debt management plan, then it will help to reestablish your credit score.

Student credit cards are designed for college students who are over the age of 18. It is a good idea for students to obtain a credit card so that they can get started building a credit rating. This way they will have already built substantial credit by the time they graduate. A good credit rating is important for things such as purchasing cars and renting and buying a home. Having a credit card helps pay for everyday grocery items and emergency bills that might arise. Credit card companies are eager to get students to sign up with them because students are expected to live for many years and can be potentially lucrative for the credit company.

It is important to pay off credit card bills on a regular basis without missing payments. Missed payments are not good for building up a solid credit rating and should be avoided at all costs. There are many cards to choose from and they all offer something for the student. The important thing to keep in mind is not so much what the cards offer but that a good credit score is being built up while using these cards responsibly.

Some student credit cards offer cash back rewards when purchases are made at certain shops or restaurants. There are even cards that offer incentives when students obtain good grades. These rewards are only offered when payments are made on time every month. There are cards that offer cash back rewards of up to 5% off the purchase price. Some student credit cards offer 0% financing for a set period of time. This rate then switches to a regular rate. It is a good idea to check how much the usual interest rate is before signing up with a card company. A variation of a few percent can make a big difference in interest charged on credit card balances.

Some cards allow the student to earn up to five points for every dollar when a purchase is made. These points accrue but are only good if regular payments are made on the card. Some cards feature 2% cash back on rotating categories every month. This means that different stores and restaurants are used every month to earn this money back. All other purchases stay at 1% with these cards.

Rewards are given for good grades and are used as another incentive. It is possible to earn 2,000 points every six months if a certain grade average is maintained. These points can quickly add up over the course of a college degree. Certain student cards give a 0% interest rate for the first seven months as long as payments are regularly kept up. Student cards are a good way for students to learn to use their credit card wisely. If payments are not met every month all the perks will be taken away until the regular payment commences. These cards should not be used to make large purchases or fund an education. It is best to use them for small items and everyday requirements. Students will find that when it comes time to get a Mortgage the way for a good credit score will already have been paved.

Should You Cosign A Student Credit Card for Your Child?

Sending a child off to college presents a lot of financial challenges for many parents, including how best to handle funding his or her education, emergencies (and there will be emergencies…count on it), and other unplanned expenses when your child is away at college. 

One way to handle the need for emergency access to funds, be it car repairs, unexpected book/lab fees, or something completely unexpected is to send your child off with his or her first credit card.  Of course, with the recent changes in credit card law, your signature as cosigner is now required for that first credit card…the question is, should you cosign?

As parents, one of the most important financial lessons that you can teach your college student is the importance of building and maintaining a good credit rating.  And, enabling your child to build and maintain a credit rating through the responsible use of credit will undoubtedly work to his or her benefit once the college days are over, and he or she enters the job market, buys that first car, rents an apartment, or buys a home.

However, before you sign on the dotted line, there are a few things that you want to make sure that your college student understands about credit and credit cards:

Your Role as Cosigner – Make absolutely certain that your child understands that as a cosigner on his (her) account, his actions will affect not only his credit rating but yours, as well.  Therefore, if he’s late on his payment, or fails to make the payments, you are not only responsible but your credit rating will suffer.  (Many parents, in this instance, insist on having access to the student’s online account so that the credit card balance and payment history can be monitored.)

Cost of Using Credit Cards – Sit down with your student, and compare the terms and conditions of any cards that you are considering before signing a card agreement.  The interest rate that he (she) will pay on outstanding balances is the most costly term to consider, and obviously, the lower the APR, the better.

Establish Ground Rules – Make sure that you establish some ground rules with your student for the responsible use of the card.  For example, will the card be strictly for emergency use, or discretionary?  Will he (she) need to pay the balance off in full on a monthly basis, or if not, what’s an acceptable balance to carry?  What should he (she) be expected to pay on a monthly basis towards any carried balance? 

All of these items should be covered, and agreed upon, before you cosign on your college student’s first credit card…and if your child has demonstrated a lack of sound financial judgement in the past, additional ground rules may be necessary, or you may decide to wait until your child gains a more practical understanding of his (her) finances before cosigning.  The choice as a parent is yours.

If you are a student, the school costs including tuition fees, transportation cost, book’s price, must be making a dent in your limited allowance. Besides that, the demands of a hot and happening social life like branded clothes, expensive outings and hangouts can also weighs on you pretty heavily. The inadequate allowance from your parents invariably fall short to cover these expenses and you are left with one last resort, yes you guessed it right credit card.  However, the freedom of using plastic and the delay in paying the bills make it easy to overspend on credit cards, especially for full-time students who have a limited income or no income at all. Soon this unwise spending habit leads them into huge credit card debts. If you don’t want to graduate with high credit card debts alongside your student loan debt, look for some other alternatives to get a debt relief. Read on to know more explicitly in this regard.

Credit Card Companies
Credit card companies have long targeted college and even some high school students and are well aware of this trend of college students to quickly build up high balances. In fact a New federal legislation came into effect in 2010 to restrict credit card companies from issuing cards to students under age 21 without an adult co-signer or proof of income. However for grown up students, financially independent students and those whose parents trust them enough to co-sign, credit cards are still a common source of overspending.

Reasons
The low introductory interest rates of credit cards often rise over time and make it harder to pay down the loan balance. Sometime, if the students default on their payments due to towering interest rates, the late penalty fees add up the total amount of money owed. Colleges and universities often arrange for financial counseling services for their students but students never pay any heed to such attempt and fail to learn about responsible spending.

Alternatives
College students can certainly evade this problem that come from credit card usage by looking for other ways to mitigate their educational and discretionary expenses. Students can take a part-time job which won’t hamper their studies in any way. You can earn a few extra bucks by working as a summer intern or local restaurant steward. If you want to make money online, you can work as a freelance writer or affiliate marketer as well. You must cut up your credit cards and start using checking account and debit card instead. Finally, you can use student loan funds, which are restricted by the lender, to pay for essential expenses like books, course fees, and accommodations. You can take help of student credit cards as well, which require a parent or guardian to serve as a co-signer, and generally offer low credit limits but it can help you to meet your immediate cash need and build your credit in the long run.
For students already in credit card debt, transferring the balance to a credit card with a lower interest rate or following Dave Ramsey’s snow ball strategy might help. You can consult a credit counselor for expert help and advise in this regard.

Does a college student need a credit card? Better yet, should a college student apply for a credit card?

We all know that new credit card laws have made it more difficult for college students to obtain a student credit card. Now college students (and anyone that signs for them) need to think twice before getting that first credit.

There are many responsible credit card usage tips that college students can follow. On the flip side, there are also many college students that will fall victim to the credit card debt trap at an early age.

The question that I often receive in some shape or form is- should a college student have a credit card?

My answer is simple- all college students should have a credit card.

Before a mob of parents runs after me with blazing torches, allow me to explain myself.

Benefits of a Credit Card For College Students:

1. Build your credit rating.
When you make your first major purchase, whether it be a car or home, you will realize that one thing is very important- your credit score. This number makes a world of a difference. Before you do anything else you need to read about the importance of a credit rating.

The earlier you get a credit card the early you can build your credit rating. Yes I do realize the flip side here but please bare with me and continue reading for now.

Your credit rating becomes very important as you graduate from college and progress through your 20s. If you begin building up your credit at an early age you’ll notice some big wins.

2. Reap the benefits of a high credit score in your adult years.
A high credit score can save you a boatload of money over the period of a loan. A high credit score means that you have good credit. Good credit means that lenders feel it’s less of a risk to loan you money. Since it’s less risky to loan you money, you can receive a lower rate on major purchases when they happen, and believe me they will happen.

A lower rate may not seem like a big deal now, but trust me it will be one day. Unless you buy your first new car or first home with 100% cash, you’re likely going to have to apply for a loan. You don’t want to be in your 30s kicking yourself in the butt for messing up your credit or for having no credit.

3. Get used to a credit card.
Chances are very high that you’re going to have to deal with a credit card for the rest of your life. There are adults that refuse to possess a credit card or are vehemently against credit cards (see: Adam Baker or Matt Jabs), but it’s fairly rare to not have a credit card.

Cutting up your credit cards is too simple and it won’t solve the problem. You should get into the habit of using a credit card and paying it off monthly ASAP.

Okay now let’s go a bit further- what if you think the reasons for having a credit card are decent but you’re still not fully convinced on student credit cards? A college student should only have a credit card under the following conditions:

Student Credit Card Conditions:

1. It’s a student credit card with a minuscule limit.
A couple of hundred bucks to $500 max! Until you’ve mastered your financial situation completely you shouldn’t accept anything over $500. A high amount of credit available to you can be very beneficial, but it can also ruin you financially if you don’t control yourself. All college students should start off with the lowest limit possible and not increase it until income grows. On top of that, it’s also becoming more difficult for college students to get more than $500 worth of credit.

2. The student credit card is used for reoccurring monthly expenses.
I’ve automated my credit card to pay for my gym membership, cell phone bill, and a few online subscriptions (I swear it’s not porn!). A simple way to build your credit without buying useless junk is to automate reoccurring monthly expenses to your credit card. We all have monthly expenses. So why not simplify your financial situation and automate your monthly expenses with your credit card?

3. The credit card is only used in emergencies.
Yes I know that some will view an “emergency” as seeing a pair of jeans on sale at Banana Republic. This is where the $500 limit comes into play. Even if you lose control and splurge, you won’t go bankrupt because of it. You’ll probably have to suck it up and get an extra job to pay the credit card off, but you won’t destroy your finances.

A credit card is also extremely critical in real emergencies. Shit will happen in life. There will be times when you need money to pay your way out of trouble. Whether it be paying for a tow truck while stuck on the side of the road in the winter to having your flight delayed. Hopefully this sort of thing doesn’t happen to you. But if it does you can use your credit card and then pay it off with your emergency fund money when you get home

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/credit-articles/student-credit-cards-great-or-awful-idea-2804505.html

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Free Tips to Check and Improve Your Credit Score

Applying for your first credit card?  Maybe you’ve had a credit card or two in the past, and didn’t use it responsibly, and it took forever to pay off, so you’ve held off using credit cards for a while? 

Whether it’s your first credit card or you’ve already got several, your attitude and spending habits determine whether you’re a responsible credit card user or whether you’ll get carried away and run up a bill that you’ll have a hard time paying off. 

One of the most important things to consider with credit cards is what you’ll use the card for – ideally, using the card for emergencies or major purchases only is best, but there are instances where using your credit card is advantageous to using cash, even when you have the cash.  An example would be that you have a credit card that offers extra warranty protection, above and beyond the manufacturer’s warranty.  In this case, using your credit card to make a purchase makes sense. (And there are many cards that do offer this extra warranty, so pay attention to the terms and conditions on your credit card!)

Secondly, track your purchases on the card.  Calculate in advance how long it will take you to pay off a major purchase, and what the interest will be, before you actually make the purchase. Just knowing what you’ll ultimately pay for something is a strong deterrent to impulse buying.

Third, if at all possible, pay the card off every month.  When you do this, you avoid interest charges, and it keeps your debt level low (and more manageable).

And, finally, make sure that you review the terms and conditions for both credit cards you are interested in applying for as well as your current credit cards, to make sure you’re getting the best interest rate, the lowest annual fee (or none at all), and what rewards you are entitled to.  If your card is not competitive, then consider switching to a different credit card that offers more.