First (1st) Financial Bank Student Credit Cards

by Mack Bartlett

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For me there are a few core qualities I’m looking for in a company that’s going to be dealing with my money. First, they need to have some years behind them. If I’m going to trust a company with my personal information and my hard-earned cash I want to know they’ve been around the block a time or two. Second, they need to have a clean history. Clean as in the opposite of everything the guys at Enron decided to pull. Clean as in forthcoming with all the details of our dealings with each other.

Students looking for their first credit card as they leave high school and enter college should be looking for those same kinds of qualities. Debt is getting out of control in this country and you have to make sure the company you’re working with is looking to make a profit, but not if it means your financial ruin.

1st Financial Bank is that kind of company. Look around a little bit on the internet and you’ll find good things said about these guys.

1st Financial Bank was founded in 1910 and is located in South Dakota. The bank has become exclusively committed to providing financial services to students across the country.

They sponsor an entire site dedicated to educating kids about college life, especially its financial aspects.

The site, called collegedata.com, touches on three main topics: ‘college 411′, which is designed to help you find a school that’s a good fit for your personality and goals; ‘prepare and apply’, where they’re looking to help you improve your chances of getting accepted and keep track of what schools are looking for; and ‘pay your way’, which teaches you about scholarships, student loans, and college expenses.

I realize this website is a marketing tool. It’s a lead generator – they get you on the site to show you information about college and the longer you’re on the site the more likely you are to fill out an application. They’re looking for customers, and I don’t blame them. They give some free information and end up with loyal cardholders. It’s a win-win.

If there websites are any indication, these guys are committed to keeping costs down. That can translate into lower fees and interest rates for cardholders. I can appreciate a company willing to sacrifice some aesthetics for the sake of cost control. It’s good business, and it gives me more confidence in them.

1st Financial Bank student credit cards won’t be anything flashy, but they’ll be a good tool to help you get your credit life started in college.

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