Theres been somewhat of a debate in recent years about whether college students should own a credit card.
Some suggest college students embrace the piece of plastic. Eric Lowry of U.S. News and World Report wrote that credit cards help students establish a credit history and pay for items when they dont necessarily have cash on them. Credit cards also make it easier for students to buy textbooks and other school needs online, where they are often cheaper, Lowry wrote.
Credit cards provide a backup plan for emergencies, and allow students to build a credit history, CNBC reported.
But the results can be messy. Credit.com reported that college students may open too many credit cards, which accumulates debt over time. Some students also procrastinate and dont pay their monthly credit card bill, which can cause late fees and make ones credit score dip.
Its easier to focus on the minimum payments, Detweiler said of this common mistake. Along those lines, I think part of it for students is feeling like, Oh well, once I get out and get a job it will be easy to pay off these balances. When you graduate with a lot of debt, it can limit your choices in terms of work and where you can live and other things you want to do.
But luckily for students and recent grads, there are some credit cards that make life a little bit easier. Heres a report from CardHub that outlines the nine best credit cards for recent grads:
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
This card offers plenty of reward points, with a 1.5 cash back guarantee on all purchases. Consumers can even get a $100 bonus if they spend $500 within the first three months. This is for grads who have good credit.
Chase Slate
This is one of the best cards on the market, according to CardHub. It offers a 0 percent interest rate for 15 months on transferred debt and new purchases. And theres no annual fee. Not bad for a credit card. Again, this card is for grads with good credit.
BankAmericard Cash Rewards for Students Credit Card
Youll need an active student email to apply for this card. But your credit score isnt taken into account when applying for this card. Its not a bad card, either. You can get $100 cash bonus for spending $500 in your first 90 days, and you get 3 and 2 percent back for gas and grocery purchases.
Journey Student Rewards from Capital One
This card is known for its cash back rewards. It offers 1 percent cash back on all purchases, and a 25 percent cash back bonus when you pay your bill on time. Youll need an active student email to apply.
BankAmericard Travel Rewards for Students Credit Card
Traveling can be costly. But luckily, this credit card will help you shave down on the price. You can get 10,000 travel bonus points when you spend $500 within the first 90 days. And when you spend on travel, you get points back, too. Youll need an active student email to apply.
BankAmericard for Students Credit Card
This card wont charge you any financing for the first 15 months or an annual fee. However, youll have to pay a 3 percent balance fee on any of the debt you transfer to this card.
Capital One Secured MasterCard
This card is for grads who have an inactive student email or have had some credit issues in the past. Theres no annual fee, but your credit line is secured and can be higher than the security deposit you put on the card.
Harley-Davidson Secured Credit Card
This card doesnt have an annual fee, but it does require a $300 security deposit at the minimum. It doesnt offer any rewards. You wont need an active student email to apply, though.
Capital One Platinum Credit Card
If you dont have a credit history, this may be the card for you. It doesnt require a security deposit or credit history, nor does it have an annual fee for the first year. There is a $19 annual fee after two years. You wont need an active student email to apply.
Some suggest college students embrace the piece of plastic. Eric Lowry of U.S. News and World Report wrote that credit cards help students establish a credit history and pay for items when they dont necessarily have cash on them. Credit cards also make it easier for students to buy textbooks and other school needs online, where they are often cheaper, Lowry wrote.
Credit cards provide a backup plan for emergencies, and allow students to build a credit history, CNBC reported.
But the results can be messy. Credit.com reported that college students may open too many credit cards, which accumulates debt over time. Some students also procrastinate and dont pay their monthly credit card bill, which can cause late fees and make ones credit score dip.
Its easier to focus on the minimum payments, Detweiler said of this common mistake. Along those lines, I think part of it for students is feeling like, Oh well, once I get out and get a job it will be easy to pay off these balances. When you graduate with a lot of debt, it can limit your choices in terms of work and where you can live and other things you want to do.
But luckily for students and recent grads, there are some credit cards that make life a little bit easier. Heres a report from CardHub that outlines the nine best credit cards for recent grads:
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
This card offers plenty of reward points, with a 1.5 cash back guarantee on all purchases. Consumers can even get a $100 bonus if they spend $500 within the first three months. This is for grads who have good credit.
Chase Slate
This is one of the best cards on the market, according to CardHub. It offers a 0 percent interest rate for 15 months on transferred debt and new purchases. And theres no annual fee. Not bad for a credit card. Again, this card is for grads with good credit.
BankAmericard Cash Rewards for Students Credit Card
Youll need an active student email to apply for this card. But your credit score isnt taken into account when applying for this card. Its not a bad card, either. You can get $100 cash bonus for spending $500 in your first 90 days, and you get 3 and 2 percent back for gas and grocery purchases.
Journey Student Rewards from Capital One
This card is known for its cash back rewards. It offers 1 percent cash back on all purchases, and a 25 percent cash back bonus when you pay your bill on time. Youll need an active student email to apply.
BankAmericard Travel Rewards for Students Credit Card
Traveling can be costly. But luckily, this credit card will help you shave down on the price. You can get 10,000 travel bonus points when you spend $500 within the first 90 days. And when you spend on travel, you get points back, too. Youll need an active student email to apply.
BankAmericard for Students Credit Card
This card wont charge you any financing for the first 15 months or an annual fee. However, youll have to pay a 3 percent balance fee on any of the debt you transfer to this card.
Capital One Secured MasterCard
This card is for grads who have an inactive student email or have had some credit issues in the past. Theres no annual fee, but your credit line is secured and can be higher than the security deposit you put on the card.
Harley-Davidson Secured Credit Card
This card doesnt have an annual fee, but it does require a $300 security deposit at the minimum. It doesnt offer any rewards. You wont need an active student email to apply, though.
Capital One Platinum Credit Card
If you dont have a credit history, this may be the card for you. It doesnt require a security deposit or credit history, nor does it have an annual fee for the first year. There is a $19 annual fee after two years. You wont need an active student email to apply.
