College students face credit card woes

Debt collection agencies may notice a new trend in recovery services- instead of approaching recent college graduates about defaulting on student loans, it is becoming much more common to see young professionals unable to pay for credit card charges they incurred while in school. Sallie Mae released a 2009 study indicating that 30 percent of college students use credit cards to pay for tuition, while 92 percent charge textbooks, supplies or other school expenses. The report also noted that the average student graduates more than $4,100 in debt.  InvestmentNews cited a 2012 survey that found that the average college student graduates with six credit cards in their name, while 83 percent have at least one card. The sense of freedom experienced by new college students often results in young adults opening credit cards and spending frivolously without regard to paying for purchases with interest, prompting visits from debt collectors looking to recover payments for businesses. Credit cards and college can be useful, but if care isn't taken to pay balances on time, they can snowball, resulting in consumer credit issues for years.