I rather amazes me how some people can run up these huge debts so quickly on credit cards through frivolous shopping. Some people are given the privilege and convenience of using a credit card only to get caught up in consumerism and outspend their ability to repay.

I have gotten offers frequently for credit cards throughout college, but those quickly ended up in the recycling bin. I felt credit cards where a waste of money and an unnecessary temptation that I did not want in my life. Yet, as I have grown older my opinion on these seemingly endless source of credit for people has changed.

I now see having a credit card as an important way to build credit by using the card for small purchases. I did not borrow any money for college so I have essentially no credit score and it’s something I want to build so some day I can have the money to buy land and money to build a farm.

Recently, I went searching for a credit card online and shifting through the variety of offers. Unfortunately, I found that the number of offers I could get where quite limited, with a limited credit history. The cards with good perks where either declined for me or required a yearly fee. It turns out that nowadays getting a credit card has gotten more difficult.

Ultimately, I settled on a very basic Capital One card, the one that’s so heavy advertised to college students including myself. It was free to get and use as long as you pay the balance back right away. The ceiling on the card was very low, but that’s fine for me. I don’t plan to use my card to finance anything expensive — it simply is a tool for me to build credit.

There is one additional benefit to having a credit card. It’s great for limited emergencies, when you run upon a situation where you need more money then is directly available in your bank account. When I have my card I will very rarely use it for this purpose. I believe a credit card should only be used for emergencies until you can get the funds from a savings account or other guaranteed place that ensures that it’s paid off as soon as possible.

It horrifies me to see how some people use credit cards for thoughtless consumption. Yet, I realize there are many legitimate uses of credit cards to build credit scores and bona fide emergencies. I believe that with restraint, that’s often so lacking in our society, credit cards are a good thing.