Although it might not seem to be very common, the college student credit card debt is a familiar problem for many college-goers. Having credit card debts, especially when you are a student, can be extremely troublesome. On one side, you have a very limited source of income, while on the other side you have to focus on your academic performance. However, all of this can be put under control with some budget management and by following some important tips to avoid credit card debt.

Read on to know more.

Go for a parent’s card instead of your own credit card
There are federal laws that do not allow credit card companies to market themselves at college campuses. Still, you can get lured towards having your own credit cards to take care of your educational and personal expenditures. However, at this age, you might not have the necessary budgeting skills that are needed to manage a credit card. Therefore, it is better to utilize any of your parent’s credit cards in the capacity of an authorized user. By doing this, your parents will be able to review the expenses and avoid any kind of credit card debts.

Choose a debit card instead of a credit card
You are still learning the skills to manage their finances. In such a scenario, it might not be advisable to get a credit card. With your financial skills are still under development, you are at a high-risk of accumulating debt on your credit cards. To avoid this, make use of debit cards to pay your bills as much as possible. Debit cards allow you to manage your day-to-day finances efficiently without having to worry about writing checks every day. This is one of the best tips to avoid credit card debt.

Select a secured credit card
You may want to build up a good credit history for all your future purchases. To reach this goal, you can apply for a secured credit card. You can control these accounts independently or have a joint account with your parents. The most useful feature of a secured credit card is that it sends your payment history to credit bureaus. Another feature of the secured credit cards, which makes them different from an unsecured credit card, is that they need an amount as a security deposit, which later translates into the credit line. For instance, if you deposit $1000 in your bank account, you can be given a secured credit card by the bank, which will have a credit limit of $1000. If a parent chooses to be a co-owner of the credit account, they always have the option to not use the account and just monitor their child’s financial management.

Following the aforementioned tips to avoid credit card debt will prove helpful, as you will emerge as a cautious and smart credit card user. With limited income, you undoubtedly do not wish to have any debts during this phase of life. Therefore, consider the above-mentioned ideas to live stress-free and debt-free.