Originally Posted by peabodypride

let's not start the name calling. finance philosophy is personal but supporting first-year students with credit cards is just a little out there, it's bonkers considering the poor kid's going to have a million other pressures to deal with. a credit card is a potentially-hazardous financial tool that, when mixed in with the emotional and psychological changes of a kid living away from home, can turn ugly fast.

you DO know that one can build superb credit in junior-senior years, right? and many students in technical programs will be in school for five+ years -- plenty of time to build credit after you get settled living away from mom and pop. plus most student-aimed housing, at least in my city, is credit-check-less and I wouldn't expect a kid to come fresh out of college looking to buy a house anyway. most people have loans to pay off first. for credit building, the sooner the better is true I suppose, but you need to think back to freshman year in the dorms. a plastic card can wait.

I know your drinking comment was in jest but please, this kid is likely 18. you do realize that is well under the legal drinking limit and getting caught with a fake ID or any involvement with alcohol in that age can result in between a light slap in the wrist from a school to expulsion and legal matters. It was a joke, I know, but underage drinking is not a light-hearted manner.

no harsh on your mellow but that's just my two.