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[04:18:28 AM Tuesday, April 17, 2007]
How to educate your children to use credit cards wisely
From the earlier childhood we teach our children to walk, to read, make their homework and generally to do everything. Now we live in strong financial world. A great variety of credit card offers are issued special for students to make their life easier, therefore there is one more important thing that is very often forgotten- teaching them how to use money and credit cards. Nowadays our children can do it without any help of their adults.
Is it so important to teach our children about credit card use? Just look at these facts.
• The use of credit cards among teens has tripled in recent years.
• Students under the age of 18 are targeting audience of credit companies.
• Over 5% of 13 and 14 year-olds use plastics.
As you see, it is.
You can buy special books that will teach your child good money habits or enforce him or her attending special lectures and seminars concerning credit card use. But there is the easiest and more attractive way- credit card game that takes only about 5 minutes. It has been developed specially to educate high school and college students about credit knowledge and how to use credit cards properly. Credit card game can help your children to build liable spending behaviors. It also stimulates children's interest in credit management and credit card applications and supports them to put this knowledge into right behavior. Your child does not need to go anywhere to play this game.
He can apply online at home or at the educational institution and learn about credit card basics, or play some credit card simulator. Credit card basics are presented in the form of test with correct and wrong answers concerning Annual Percentage Rate, annual fees, savings account and so on. If his answer is incorrect, he will be explained why it is not and offered the correct one. After the quiz he will get his score.
To play credit card simulator is also fascinating. It offers some credit cards with different features and credit limits to choose. When he is approved, he can use the credit card to purchase as many items as his credit will allow. He can not exceed his credit limit in the computer game, because he will be warned about that. Be sure in real life nobody will warn your child about the over credit limit therefore he will pay special over-pay fees.
This game is useful and cognitive and a great number of students have been already convinced of that:
"Now I know how to use a credit card wisely and who can help me if I have some difficulties."
"I learn how to set up credit card balance and pay it off wisely. It is not difficult, as I thought before".
And what about your child?
Of course, there are more other methods of teaching your children to use money and credit cards. Young kids can take valuable lessons of money use through their interaction with parents. Such every day activities like going to the supermarket or bank can teach kids about money and budgeting.
You can give your teen a prepaid credit card or allow having an access to your card and see how your child will appreciate this. Explain him in clear words how credit works and how fast credit card charges can increase. Teach your kids about responsible credit card use, the danger of late-payments and debts before they apply for a credit card themselves and make errors.
If your child is at least 18 years old he is able to start building his credit history. He can choose the suitable card among student credit card offers presented at our site alone or with your help. If your child already has a card, ask him to order credit report and look at his credit score to realize the impact of his spending.
Among the variety of educational methods you can choose the best one or invent your own way of teaching your child. Begin with our news! Ask your child to read it and learn about online credit card game and other educational methods of credit card use. Let him or her choose the most suitable one. And be sure your children will thank you for it after they have attained an access in the world of credit and money.
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