As soon as young adults hit the age of 18, credit companies tend to have a frenzy in trying to get them to apply for a certain credit card or service. Credit companies typically like to prey on the younger adults since they have less experience with credit, but even those with less experience can stay out of debt with responsible behavior and by adhering to several guidelines.

Credit card companies like to make the idea of free money as obvious as possible. After all, if a consumer goes on a shopping spree with "free money," they are more likely to find themselves in a debt to the credit company in question. Thus, the first lesson is to steer clear of thinking of credit cards as free money, and instead as an emergency money source in the event that consumers are in a tight situation.

Next, it should be noted that credit card debts come primarily from paying off debts too late. Basic credit cards can be paid off within a month, and no interest or debts will befall the borrower. In this scenario, consumers can spend all the money they want so long as they pay off the debts within a month. The real problem comes when borrowers can't pay the purchases off within a month, and interest is then collected.

To better reel in new customers and profits, credit card companies like to offer incentives for using the credit cards they offer. Incentives usually aren't very large- with some credit companies offering cash back bonuses or grand prizes for select users. In offering incentives, credit companies hope consumers get purchase happy and buy more than they can pay for, whereas credit companies would benefit from new interest rates to be paid.

Another more modern scheme among credit companies is to offer low interest rates for a certain period of time, and then increase them to unfair levels after a certain amount of time. Credit companies hope in this case that consumers forget they have to pay interest after a certain amount of time, or that they have bought a very expensive item during the no interest phase that carries over to the date where they need to start paying higher interest rates.

In Conclusion

Creditors know how to pull the right strings with borrowers, as has been made apparent with their many marketing ploys. But to stay out of debt and free of any troubles, it is recommended that consumers pay with cash or check where possible. As previously stated, credit cards are best used for emergency situations only. Using them for much else may put borrowers into a debt that they can hardly climb out of- and where consumers can avoid debt, they should do so at all costs.