Credit Cards

Credit cards seem, at first, to be wonderful things. They give you money that you can use however you want. They are easily obtainable, shiny, and even have your name right on the front. They also determine your credit history, which in turn determines your abilty to get loans for things such as; a house, car, college...I'll admit it, credit cards aren't always a bad thing. They can build your credit in a positive way, but all too often they are misused. They can be dangerous. There are membership fees, late fees, processing fees, etc. They find ways to make you pay, when you didn't actually spend the money on anything, so you are basically paying for holding the card. Unless you can pay off the balance in full, it is often silly to use credit because the interest rates are so high. So unless you are very responsible, can pay off your balance, or have someone to bail you out of trouble, my advice is stay away! Only keep them for emergency purposes, and if you think the temptation is too strong, just don't get one!