Posts Tagged ‘Student Loans’

Just as the term brings to mind, student credit cards are credit cards meant particularly for students, many who are not earning a documented income with employment. Credit card issuers are alert to students and their credit challenges so they make accommodations for students when building student credit card offers specifically. Typically, the only restriction when applying for a student credit card is the age of the student, and as mandated by the law of the country, which is typically 18 years old and above at the time of application. In many ways, a student credit card is very similar to traditional, run-of-the-mill credit cards. But the major difference, is the standard APR, or interest rate, levied for card purchases, which is relatively higher than a traditional credit card APR.

Student credit cards give more financial flexibility for young students. But, while it may come in handy when paying the rent, paying tuition, purchasing books, and other must get items like food and clothing, uncontrolled card swiping can sometimes lead to financial trouble, especially in the form of poor credit scores and damaged credit histories. To a certain extent, this can be blamed on a lack of education or awareness as young people, often times, will not think too much about the concept of credit scoring or the idea of building a good credit history. As a result of this lack of comprehension, they will usually not hold themselves back from using the credit card freely either.

The danger of poor credit scores will not become readily obvious, but will certainly become apparent when the student approaches a bank for credit at a later point in time. Credit profiling or credit scores, as determined by any of the three credit bureaus, represent an individual’s credit life history, and black marks on credit histories, however they are acquired, will make it tough, at worst, more expensive, at best, to secure the lowest possible interest rate on the loan or financing. So, consequently, even if one manages to get the home loan or car loan, for instance, the interest rate, in order to allow the bigger credit risk anticipated by the bank, will be higher than normal, and in turn, much more expensive for the borrower. The bottom line is that student credit cards represent a potential risk to future economic standing if the cards are not used judiciously.

As previously mentioned, it is clear that unrestrained use of a student credit card can easily damage an individuals budding credit score and credit history profile. But on the flip side, knowledgeable spending and timely payback can go a long way toward building a solid credit history and credit score. Using the card for essential purchases that are well within his/her payback capabilities and making the payments within the due date can improve one’s credit rating exceedingly.

The rules of credit bureaus are pretty straightforward. The amount of money that an individual borrows will be returned in his or her credit report and the credit limits that each person can hold on to will be reflected in the amount of credit that the individual has previously “borrowed” and has paid back on time. Simple, right?

One additional point of interest…the credit card company is supposed to report each transaction that is been done on a particular credit card account to the three major credit bureaus hastily. But this does not happen in every case. More distinctively, secure student credit cards or prepaid cards, often times will not report transactions to the major credit bureaus. Therefore, it is the user’s responsibility to make sure that the credit card transaction history is indeed being reported to the credit bureaus and is being done done in a timely manner. Remember, an unnoticed credit transaction does not do any good to improve your credit history.

Banks evolved from the concept of a royal treasure room to a strong room where hired guards watched over valuables. Keeping assets safe was the principal cause.

The next major change in banking was the concept of charging interest for a loan. For the longest period of time, laws against Usury kept this from happening in Christian countries - an interpretation of the Bible forbade charging interest on loans. Later, this expanded to paying people interest to hold deposits within the bank.

There is no bank in the world that does not issue loans; it’s their primary reason for existence. Modern banks offer a wide array of loan products for every consumer (and business) need.

All of which comes at a nice interest though! Speaking for myself, my first relationship with a bank was when I opened my first savings account. But it has been the bank loans that have made me dependent on the bank for my survival.

Most people’s first experience with taking out a bank loan is for a car. Their second is for paying for a home, or as a student loan.

You see, it’s unlikely that anyone has money sitting around to buy a house for cash on the transaction. Most people lack the discipline to save money every month for a house when paying rent; this opens up the next kind of bank loan - the mortgage loan.

I myself could never have hoped to buy a condo without a bank loan. (Of course, it is another matter altogether that I will continue to pay this bank loan, with interest, for another fifteen years to come!) Even a mortgage is just another variety of a bank loan issued for housing purposes, with collateral attached.

There are also other types of bank loans issued for various purposes. A personal bank loan will enable you to buy a broad spectrum of goods or services. This sort of bank loan will come in handy for repairs, renovations, marriages, celebrations, events or any other expenses that you don’t have cash lying around for.

And then of course, there are student bank loans. There are bank loans that will help you buy a car. And again, there are bank loans that will help you buy computers, washing machines and other consumer goods.

The most common kind of bank loan is one you carry in your wallet. It’s your credit card. Yes, even a credit card is a bank loan. Many banks even offer consolidation loans to pay off your credit card debt.

Most loans issued worldwide to consumers are housing and mortgage loans. They’re a tiny fraction of the business debt market, where the entirety of the financial industry runs off of leveraging assets by taking out loans.

Whether it is a small business operated out of the home or a large business that needs millions of dollars in order to tide over a cash flow problem or to acquire assets, banks loans issued to businesses far outstrip individual bank loans.

One could go so far as to say that without bank loans, the vast majority of business worldwide would collapse. Small wonder then that banking, and by association investment, lending, finance and credit are the words that drive business in the modern day.