They don’t teach you “adulting” in school. But lucky for you, I’m here to explain to you the pros and cons of acquiring a credit card. Of course, there comes more responsibility with a credit card, but it also holds a certain amount of respectability and authenticity. I admit, I see my friends who pay with a credit card as having their life more together than I have mine. But the question still holds — who needs the hassle?

Pros

Theft

If your credit card gets stolen or lost, one phone call to your company can cancel the credit card and erase the identity thief’s doings. However, with a debit card, they can just spend your money without any hindrance. A friend of mine had someone take $300 from their debit card, it took weeks to get the money back.

Cash Back and Discounts

For some credit cards, you can earn cash back for things you shop for and for others, you can earn double the cash back during the first year. It comes in handy if you use the listed services a lot — for example, Amazon. You can also get discounts at places like Stop and Shop, Under Armour, or Ulta just to list a few. But be careful — just because you get a discount, doesn’t mean it’s not money spent.

Monthly Subscriptions

If you subscribe to monthly services like me, a credit card comes in handy when maybe you don’t have that five dollars you need at the moment. Music apps, subscription boxes and delivery services can all fall under this category. It’s also nice because you don’t have to worry about it every month and it’ll just automatically charge.

Easy to Build Credit

When you’re a college student, it’s easier to build credit than say, a person buying their first apartment. Little expenses are easier to pay off and deal with in a timely manner and thus better to have while building credit.

Big Purchases

If you’re looking to finance a home or a car, lenders will ask to check your credit report. Of course, having bad credit will decrease your chances, but having no credit at all tells them absolutely nothing about the way you handle money. Also, places like UHaul and various hotels won’t take debit cards for reservations which can be a problem if you need those services.

Cons

Debt, debt and more debt

It is so easy to swipe a tiny plastic card — trust me. It’s easier than anything in the world, especially when your credit limit is much higher than what you have in the bank. Without thought, you can rack up an unspeakable amount of debt in just a few months. And if you’re an impulse shopper like me, this can be a huge problem.

Ruining Your Credit

It’s also very easy to ruin a credit score that you’ve spent some time building up. When you miss a payment or when someone pulls your credit, it will decrease and harm you in the future. If you’re a college student without a stable hourly job, this can hurt you.

Inactivity

Having a credit card and not using it is more harmful than not having one. Credit card companies track your usage and you can accrue fees if you don’t use it. Basically, if you remain inactive, you’ll be spending money on nothing.

So, taking these things into mind, you decide: is it worth it to take on these hassles? Is having a credit card just a made-up step along the road to adulthood?

string(3619) "
They don't teach you "adulting" in school. But lucky for you, I'm here to explain to you the pros and cons of acquiring a credit card. Of course, there comes more responsibility with a credit card, but it also holds a certain amount of respectability and authenticity. I admit, I see my friends who pay with a credit card as having their life more together than I have mine. But the question still holds — who needs the hassle?
Pros
Theft
If your credit card gets stolen or lost, one phone call to your company can cancel the credit card and erase the identity thief's doings. However, with a debit card, they can just spend your money without any hindrance. A friend of mine had someone take $300 from their debit card, it took weeks to get the money back. 
Cash Back and Discounts
For some credit cards, you can earn cash back for things you shop for and for others, you can earn double the cash back during the first year. It comes in handy if you use the listed services a lot — for example, Amazon. You can also get discounts at places like Stop and Shop, Under Armour, or Ulta just to list a few. But be careful — just because you get a discount, doesn't mean it's not money spent.
Monthly Subscriptions
If you subscribe to monthly services like me, a credit card comes in handy when maybe you don't have that five dollars you need at the moment. Music apps, subscription boxes and delivery services can all fall under this category. It's also nice because you don't have to worry about it every month and it'll just automatically charge.
Easy to Build Credit
When you're a college student, it's easier to build credit than say, a person buying their first apartment. Little expenses are easier to pay off and deal with in a timely manner and thus better to have while building credit.
Big Purchases
If you're looking to finance a home or a car, lenders will ask to check your credit report. Of course, having bad credit will decrease your chances, but having no credit at all tells them absolutely nothing about the way you handle money. Also, places like UHaul and various hotels won't take debit cards for reservations which can be a problem if you need those services. 
Cons
Debt, debt and more debt
It is so easy to swipe a tiny plastic card — trust me. It's easier than anything in the world, especially when your credit limit is much higher than what you have in the bank. Without thought, you can rack up an unspeakable amount of debt in just a few months. And if you're an impulse shopper like me, this can be a huge problem.
Ruining Your Credit
It's also very easy to ruin a credit score that you've spent some time building up. When you miss a payment or when someone pulls your credit, it will decrease and harm you in the future. If you're a college student without a stable hourly job, this can hurt you.
Inactivity
Having a credit card and not using it is more harmful than not having one. Credit card companies track your usage and you can accrue fees if you don't use it. Basically, if you remain inactive, you'll be spending money on nothing. 
So, taking these things into mind, you decide: is it worth it to take on these hassles? Is having a credit card just a made-up step along the road to adulthood?
"

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