| Stepping into the adult world presents a lot of new | | | | charges. The best place to start is with the APR and |
| issues you may never have considered before. | | | | compare those. Many people gloss over the fine print |
| Among these new problems is how to establish credit. | | | | because at first glance it seems like a nuisance to |
| So many people find themselves ready to leave their | | | | wade through. Try to read it anyway. |
| parents' home to get a home or apartment of their | | | | No doubt you will find that there is information in there |
| own only to find out that they can't get certain things | | | | that will save you money in the long run. Credit |
| like a place to live and the utilities that go with it | | | | companies don't want to hear "I didn't know", not when |
| because they don't have sufficient credit. | | | | they can point back to the small print and tell you it |
| Sometimes having no credit can be worse than having | | | | was right there when you signed your name to the |
| bad credit. When you are trying to get a loan for a car | | | | agreement. |
| or a house your future creditors want to make sure | | | | When you use your first credit card there are some |
| you can pay the loan back. They have no records to | | | | rules that you should follow. You should always shred |
| look at to tell them if you will do this or not. It might | | | | your receipts, and also shred any credit card offers |
| sound like a Catch 22, but you will have to start by | | | | that you are not considering. Do not ever give your |
| getting a credit card and making a few purchases. | | | | credit card number over the phone unless you are the |
| When deciding which credit card to start with, you | | | | one who initiated the phone call to the company that |
| should sit down and evaluate some things about | | | | you are ordering things from, or trying to get a bill paid. |
| yourself. For instance, are you someone who | | | | Keep the customer service numbers of all of your |
| procrastinates? Do you have steady income that will | | | | credit cards in a safe place. Sometimes companies will |
| allow you to pay the bills? Why do you want a credit | | | | send you a new card and it will get lost in the mail, an |
| card in the first place? It is very important to be honest | | | | automated system will ask for your information before |
| with yourself when you answer these questions | | | | it will let you proceed, however, if you don't have a |
| because it is easy to get into a hole that you can't | | | | customer service number, you will have to wait until |
| crawl out from. | | | | your next bill comes in. You would think that calling the |
| Even if you feel like you are the most irresponsible | | | | store would help, but incompetence runs rampant in all |
| person on earth, but you still want a credit card, a good | | | | parts of the world. |
| one to get is the American Express green card. The | | | | When you do finally get your new credit card |
| Amex card has to be paid off every month, and you | | | | remember that it is not free money. Everything you |
| may be willing to spend less if you know that there is | | | | spend you will have to pay back. It is all too easy to fall |
| not going to be a minimum balance. | | | | into spending carelessly and getting yourself into |
| Trying to find the right credit card for you can be a | | | | trouble when the bills come due. Know your limits and |
| confusing process. You have to take into consideration | | | | what you are capable of and use your card wisely. |
| the APR, annual fees and a multitude of hidden | | | | |