Setting up a College Aged Kid with a Credit Card

[MrMan]

This is probably an 'old man's question for a lot of young folks on here, but some of you may have experience with this.

When I was in college, I got a credit card or two. I might still have one of them, or got in my early 20's. I don't know if banks do that anymore, give college students cards with a small balance.

Generally, I don't like co-signing. But I am thinking what if I got a card with my young-adult son and insisted I hold on to it. I could get it through one of my cards I have online banking with. I could pay a bill up to near the credit limit every month, then pay it off right away.

Maybe I could get my son a high credit score by the time he graduates college in case he wants to buy a house young or go into real estate as an investor or something along those lines. But I don't know if his having credit would be a good thing for him yet. At his age, he may need some opportunities to demonstrate some financial responsibility before I suggest such a thing.

Has anyone tried this? What benefits or problems do you see with my idea?

[buddyaderholt]

My parents did the same thing for me when I was in college, and it was a great way to build credit responsibly.