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My ex-husband used to say "If you can't work and pay cash for what you wanted, then you didn't need it."

To this day, I wish I listened to him. I'm in debt with six credit cards and it feels like I will never get done paying them off.

Now to answer the question "should teenagers have credit cards?" My answer is a simple NO. I do believe that teenagers should learn responsibilities but not with credit cards.

I have two teenagers and I will never let them have a credit card. At least not while they are under my roof. I tell them that credit cards are nothing but trouble. They also see how far in dept that I am with my credit cards.

I tell them if they want something, then work for it. Pay for it with cash and in the end they will feel better about it. Because, if you pay with a credit card, they will be paying for it for years because of the interest charges.

The interest charges is another good reason not to have a credit cards. The interest charge alone is out of this world.

Then there is the late fees. On my six credit cards there is twenty-five dollar late fee. Thats enough to put gas in my car to drive to the store and buy what I want with the cash from the interest charge and with the late fees. It would save a good bit of money, I think, not even to own a credit card.

The way I look at it, we don't need credit cards and teenagers really don't need one either. For all of those who think credit cards are better then paying with cash or a check, get a visa check card. They are not cash and not a credit card but they work like a check in a card form.

With a visa check card you don't have to worry abut interest charges and late fees. But, you do have to worry about over drawing. But, that shouldn't be a problem if you keep or learn to keep a record of how much your spending. But, of course you have to do that with a regular check so it doesn't make to much of a difference, expect with a visa check card you don have to write out the checks.

Now, I think everyone should say good-bye to credit cards, (I did cancel mine) and start paying for things you what other ways.
Teenagers just need to learn and work hard with out the hassle over credit cards. Its just not worth the trouble the credit card companies put you through.

My mother always told us girls that if its too good to be true, then it probability is. I learned the hard way that her saying is true and now I always wished that I listened to her.

I just hope my teenagers will listen to me, when I tell them that credit cards are not worth the trouble they cause.

Learn more about this author, Reva Niner.
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