ALVA, Okla. — Northwestern Oklahoma State University associate professor of business Dr. Barry Evans was recently featured in WalletHub.com’s, “Best Credit Cards for Students” article.
Evans is featured in the “Expert Opinion” section of the article where he shares his advice for college students with questions about credit cards.
“Treat the credit card like a valuable, but very potentially dangerous tool, like a razor-sharp knife,” Evans said. “It is extremely useful and convenient. However, if used improperly, it can cause great damage.”
Evans said the best way to use a credit card for anyone, college student or working professional, is to use it regularly for routine low-cost purchases, then pay off the entire balance each month. By keeping an ongoing low balance each month, students build their credit rating without getting into a debt spiral. They also have “room” on their credit limit to make emergency charges such as a car repair that they can then pay off over a few months.
He said the biggest mistake college students make with credit cards is getting in the habit of using it for everything and only paying the minimal required payment.
“Doing so makes that $5 cup of coffee actually cost $15 by the time it is fully paid off,” Evans said. “This creates a lifestyle behavior of staying permanently in debt, which spirals.”
When asked about whether it should be easier or harder for college students to acquire credit cards, Evans said with a low spending limit, the system is just right.
“By keeping the spending limit low, the risk is lower for the card issuer and for the college student as well,” Evans said. “This credit card is likely going to be the student’s first attempt to build credit. So, if the credit card company had more strict guidelines of requiring a high credit score, then most students likely would not qualify and not be able to build credit easily.”
For Evans’ full comments, see WalletHub’s article.
Evans began teaching at Northwestern in fall 2023. His teaching competencies include business communication, employment law, leadership, strategic management, macroeconomics, business and accounting ethics, organizational theory and organizational change.
For more information on the Northwestern Division of Business, contact Dr. Garrett Lahr, division chair and professor of business, at 580-327-8550 or galahr@nwosu.edu, or visit their webpage.
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