Sending a student off to college comes with a long checklist: dorm supplies, meal plans, textbooks. Financial know-how rarely makes the list, but it might be the most valuable thing they take to campus. WalletHub managing editor John Kiernan says families should research financial tools before the semester starts, and one option stands out for its simplicity.
A credit card with a $0 annual fee, kept in a wallet for emergencies and never used, still builds credit history. With no balance, there’s nothing to pay interest on, and on-time payments get reported to the credit bureaus every month. That history matters later when your student applies to rent an apartment or qualify for a loan.
Once a student starts earning a paycheck, Kiernan recommends setting up autopay. Forgetting due dates is one of the fastest ways to damage a credit score, and autopay removes that risk entirely. Before choosing any card, confirm it reports to the credit bureaus monthly, and check WalletHub’s rankings of the best student cards to compare.
Did you learn about credit before college, or was it trial by fire? Tell us your story.
