The Impact of Credit Cards on your Credit Report
In this day in age, credit cards are extremely important and popular. It is estimated that millions of people carry at least one credit card, this does not account for people who carry two or more. Credit cards are readily available, they are available to people with good credit and even people with bad credit. However, the one thing for any credit card holder to remember is that they tend to have a great impact, good or bad, on a person's credit report.
Your credit report is not only important to creditors, but it should also be important to you as well. This report is used by creditors, such as lenders and bankers, when determining if you are credit worthy for a loan or credit card with their company. In fact, the credit report is the most important aspect of this process that it can literally make or break the decision. Credit cards are the number one reason why so many people suffer from ugly credit reports and it is important to take steps to avoid these ugly instances.
For the most part, people are responsible with their use of credit cards and do not allow them to get out of control. This allows them to show credit worthiness to creditors and lenders, which allows them to gain more credit and more loans. However, too many accounts open at once could damage your credit without you even knowing it. In fact, if you have too many accounts open at the same time, creditors will be less likely to extend you more credit, with fear that you are over extending yourself and will run into a bad situation when it comes to payment time.
Many people have two or more credit cards and in some cases, this can actually hurt their credit instead of helping. Several credit cards will signify to a lender that you are over extending yourself, giving yourself too much leeway. It is the job of any lender to look at all risks, this includes a scenario where the worst possible event could happen. It is important to understand that your credit report is the pulse of your life.
The information contained on the credit report can literally make or break you. It can decide if you get any credit cards, loans, credit of any type, jobs, or even a place to live. When you have credit cards, remember the impact it has on the credit reports and make sure you use them responsibly. Do not miss payments, do not make late payments, and keep the balance as low as humanly possible.
Missed or late payments can quickly damage your credit report, even if it is just one. This typically is noted on the credit report and other potential lenders will see this. If it becomes a habit, your credit rating will plummet and the negative impact will become noticeable.
Be responsible and safe with credit card use. Make sure you carry not more than one to two cards at any time and keep an eye on their usage. Make your payments on time and you will find your credit report stays safe and sound.
| 2010 EDITOR'S CHOICE - TOP 5 STUDENT CREDIT CARDS
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RANK |
CARD |
CATEGORY |
RATING |
APPLY |
| 1 |
 |
| Best OVERALL Student Credit Card |
| Discover Student Card |
| No Annual Fee. Unlimited Cash Rewards. Up to 20% Cashback Bonus When You Shop Online. Customer Service in Less than a Minute, Anytime. |
|
97 |
|
| 2 |
 |
| Best Rewards Program Student Credit Card |
| Citibank mtvU Platinum Select Student Visa Card |
| Through the reward program, cardholders earn one point for general purchases and five points for every dollar spent at restaurants, bookstores, record stores, movie theaters, and video rentals. |
|
95 |
|
| 3 |
 |
| Best PERSONALIZED Student Credit Card |
| Discover Student Card - Monogram Collection |
| No Annual Fee. Unlimited Cash Rewards. Personalized Card Deisgn with your initials on the Card. Customer Service in Less than a Minute, Anytime. |
|
92 |
|
| 4 |
 |
| Best ON-TIME PAYMENT Student Credit Card |
| Citibank Forward Card for College Students |
| Students who use this card correctly by staying within their credit limit and paying on time will receive 100 bonus points per billing period and a potential reduction of their interest rate. |
|
91 |
|
| 5 |
 |
|
88 |
|
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