Comments on: Ready For Your Very Own College Student Credit Card?

By: King's Kid

King's Kid — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:53:59 +0000

The first answer pretty much said it all. But please let me stress that you do not under any circumstances sign for credit for anyone else other than a spouse.

That’s a lot of interest. You might need to contact a credit counseling service and get them to help get the credit card company from haraassing you. But first you need to cancel that credit card. Sounds like the old roommate might have used if for more than a gift. And that’s a nice gift from someone with no money.
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By: RoaringMice

RoaringMice — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:51:59 +0000

First, get her off the credit card. Make sure she can’t use it again. Take her off the account. Call the credit card company directly. Don’t call the debt collectors who are calling you. Call the credit card company directly.

Second, call the credit card company directly. Again, not the debt collectors, but the credit card company itself, using the phone number on your old bills. Tell them you want to set up a payment plan. Then start paying it off.

The debt is now $500 due to interest and late fees. Those late fees, especially, can really add up.

Because it’s your credit card, it’s your responsibility to pay for it. The credit card company will come after you, not your roommate. They don’t care about the roommate. You’re the primary account holder. It’s your responsibility. You have to pay it.

You can sue your old roommate in small claims court, and ask her to pay you back. But the responsibility for paying off this credit card is on you, not on her, because it’s your credit card.

If your college is an okay size, they will have part time jobs for students right on campus. There should be some sort of jobs office on campus. You can ask your academic advisor or your RA to help you figure that out. There’s no guarantee you’ll get a job on campus, but at least you can try. And sometimes, those jobs are kind of sucky (my boyfriend’s job was to show up at the campus bar at 5am and scrape gum off the bottoms of the bar tables. :LOL: ) but they do pay, and it’ll help you pay off this debt.
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By: jesser

jesser — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:49:59 +0000

first off, the payment is now probably $500 instead of $118 because of interest. how many months ago did your roomie buy this gift? if it was months ago, and she still hasn’t paid that means the original charge of $118 has acured interest… and depending on what the interest rate of the credit card is, they could’ve added up to 17% of the 118 every month that you haven’t paid it.

it’s sad to see that so many people get into credit card trouble like this because they get these credit cards and have no idea what it entails, what interest rates are, how it works, etc. i don’t think i understand what you mean by you don’t have a bank account? do you not have ANY money? and where is your roommate..can you not get ahold of her either??

they’re probably contacting you before your roommate because you are probably the main card holder, and she is only a secondary. this is why you should never ever ever ever let anyone else use your credit card. no matter how much you trust them unless it is family or a husband or something. i know it’s water under the bridge, but if she just needed to buy a gift you should’ve loaned her cash or something that doesn’t rack up interest every month instead instead of giving her access to your credit and ruin your credit score(which can effect you for the rest of your life) all for 1 little gift that is now a $500 issue. contact the card company and they’ll probably set up a payment plan, but keep in mind if you’re just making minimum payments, interest will still continue to rack up and it will end up seeming like you’re paying your bill but the money you own still isn’t going down much.
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By: nicki M

nicki M — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:47:20 +0000

college student with credit card problems?
I got a banana Republic credit card and let my old roommate use it because she didn’t have a social security number and she needed a gift for a person, I signed on the card, made her a second holder and she said she pay off the bill and never use the card again. Now I owe 500 on a credit 100 credit card charge . I don’t have a bank account or debit card. I’m trying to learning how to spend without overspending with fees and now I just found out about eight months ago that she didn’t pay it. Also I haven’t been working, in almost a year. It’s hard finding a job now of days, even mcdonald’s is being selective. The creditors are ready to sue me but I don’t have 500 dollars now, I asked if I could western union part of the money and they’re telling me to find someone with a credit card. what should I do I can’t find my old roommate and I don’ t get paid for another week, I just started working at walmart. Is they’re a way to get them to give a payment plan or send them money another way. I realize now you can’t trust everyone and I’m taking responsibility but I’m a student and they said the purchase was for 118 dollars and now its jacked up to 500. I’ll pay it but I didn’t know and she’s on the credit card to why can’t they get a hold of her? I’m at the end of my rope here, any advice please?