Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Are Student Credit Cards Dangerous To The Economy?

Student credit cards are the stepping stone of one's entry into adulthood. Banks have recognized that they can help build a foundation of responsibility by offering them. It also builds a lifelong trust between students and the banks that offer these cards. Most of the students who apply and receive credit cards from banks, go on to become business professionals. Financial institutions realize that is extremely important to develop relationships with these future business leaders of tomorrow.

Statistics clearly show that after graduation, students tend to stay with their respective credit card companies for very long periods of time. This is a crucial fact that financial institutions have learned through years of research. It is because of this, that these companies have continued to increasingly develop and target ad campaigns directed at students. It has become easier than ever, for young adults to apply and be accepted for these cards.

Many industry experts feel that it is extremely dangerous for financial institutions to offer credit cards to students. Some say, that it is due to the fact, that the limits are often based upon what the bank feels the applicant will earn in the future and not what they currently earn. Most applicants, while in school, have little to no income, and have almost no credit history whatsoever.

Students who apply for these cards also tend to spend their money on items that are not long term, such as entertainment, food, and living expenses. Studies have shown, that many young adults disregard the debt after graduation. This is primarily because the majority of their balance was spent on intangible items. This leads to a "why should I continue to pay for something that I no longer have" justification. Given this fact, many financial institutions have seen a higher number of defaults on their student credit cards. Most students don't default, however, the ones that do default, have placed a tremendous financial burden onto the banks who carry the debt.

The real question shouldn't be: "are student credit cards dangerous for the economy?", but: " is the economy dangerous for students?" Why would these individuals even need a credit card? The simple answer: school tuition and living expenses. Schools have become outrageously expensive these days. College costs have increased faster than inflation for the past eleven years, according to the College Board, which is a non-profit organization of schools, universities, and colleges. Many young adults are asking why they have to go into debt to earn an education?

So here's the question again: are student credit cards dangerous to the economy? It all depends on how you look at it. On one hand, it teaches self reliance, builds a borrowing history, and allows young adults to enter into the financial marketplace. On the other hand, they can cause bad spending habits, create a bad borrowing history, and cause the borrowers to become slaves to the debt. So whether or not student credit cards are dangerous to the economy, is really dependent on the individual. It all comes down to the character of the borrower. Student credit cards, if used prudently, can build a bridge to financial success, but if used unwisely, they can become a burden to the economy and a stumbling block to a student's chance at a responsible financial future.

For more information about student credit cards and how to apply for a credit card, then please click here



How to Play Tennis - Learning Skills and Shots like the Pro's

Tennis is great sport to learn and one that becomes more exciting as you become better and able to play some of the more difficult shots. Most people learn how to play tennis during high school but whereas some do well, others struggle to learn the skills that make a good tennis player.

The good news is that learning tennis is certainly not only for school time. There are plenty of ways to learn tennis skills, shots and techniques, from books to videos to resources online. Depending on your finances you can even choose to hire a tennis coach, although regular lessons can amount to a substantial amount of money.

Hiring a tennis coach is a good way to become a good tennis player as long as the coach has a lot of experience or a good reputation as an instructor. Many tennis coaches are people who have been very good and played at a good level, but didn't quite manage to make it to professional level. Hiring a coach based on their playing ability shouldn't necessarily be top priority though as there is many that are good at playing but find it difficult to coach another person. This means that coaching reputation needs to be considered foremost.

With the internet has come the greatest resource to teach people whatever they want to learn, and tennis is no different. The problem with learning about tennis online though is that it becomes difficult to envisage what you are reading. I'll give you an example:

The Volley Shot

When you take on a volley shot keep the wrist stiff. This should be for both high and low volleys, with the wrist position behind the line of the racquet head. The force of the incoming shot is very often enough to return the ball, but more weight can be applied to provide more power to the shot.

This explanation gives a good example of the volley, but it is nowhere near as beneficial as watching a demonstration. A picture (or even better, video) speaks a thousand words.

See my recommendation on a great video package on How to Play Tennis; quite possibly the best video training resource for improving your tennis.