The story about Bank of America approving a 6-year-old for a $600 credit card is beyond ridiculous and demonstrates just how easy it is to get one. With no income and a birth date in 2002, the bank apparently thought this little boy was capable of handling credit!
While this boy started receiving credit card applications at a very tender age, credit card companies generally start their bombardment during college and continue the steady stream of junk mail until you insist they stop. When did you receive your first shiny new card?
Matthew Williamson
Dina Bar-El
Rivaldi
During high school, for emergencies mostly. I didn't really start using it regularly until college
1Obviously six is too young, but I don't think young people and credit cards is always a bad idea. I've always known how to manage money, have had zero problems with my cc. Everyone wants to be able to establish good credit, so I've been doing that since I was sixteen.
I got my own credit card (not one of my parents' cards) while I was still in high school, because I studied abroad.
2Um, I got mine junior year of high school, when I got a job and a car. Kinda needed a card then for gas!
3it was way too soon and i wish i'd never owned one.
4I got my first debit card when I was 14 and my first credit card when I was 18.
5I had my 1st credit card in my name at the age of 6 on my dad's account. It may sound young but at the age of 22 I have amazing credit.
6My junior year of college.
7I'm 23 and I've never had one... Maybe now that I'm starting out on my own, just in case of emergencies.
8I got a credit card when I turned 18 and went away to college.
9I got a credit card after I graduated. I used debit cards when I was short on cash, but that usually happened when I went to the grocery store...tried to not overspend.
I guess I got a card around the time I got really into personal finance. If you pay your balance on time every month, then the other card perks (points/money back, consumer protection) are great bonuses!
107th or 8th grade i think... def in middle school though
11Right when I started college.
12I was 19. And I still regret it! They should not give someone that young a credit card.
1319. and i can't believe that my initial credit limit was lower than the 6 year-old's--$250!
14ok... maybe you guys can help me out here. I'm 20 and i still don't have a credit card. i've applied almost everywhere. I even used to work for Victorias Secret and they still wouldn't approve me for a credit card. I do have a debit card and I have monthly bills that I have always paid on time (rent, electric, and cable all in my name). Do you have any idea why I'm not getting approved? Could my parents have anything to do with it?
15Freshman year of high school (it was my dad's account, but the card had my name on it). I was going on a school trip to Greece & Italy, so I needed it. I then was allowed to use it for gas and school supplies all through high school, college, and grad school. I got my first, totally my own credit card in college.
16The summer after high school, I worked at Macy's and in order to get the employee discount you had to put it on a Macy's card. It was a good way for me to build credit of my own.
Before that I had a card with my name on it that went to my parents for gas and such.
17Right after I graduated from high school.
18when i was 14 or 15
19My parents put me on their card after I got my driver's license so I could buy gasoline. I got my own card (account in my name) when I was in college.
20I actually got my 1st credit card when I was 16, it was shared with my mom (not one of those pre-paired things) and then when I turned 17 I got my 1st card by myself
I had a job and paid it alone. Sadly I was more responsible then 
21gosh, i got my american express when i was 17. in retrospect, it was a bad idea.
22During college. A bit ridiculous for a child to possess a credit card. A debit card, maybe, since the wave of the future is to start doing almost everything electronically.
23I have two credit cards, but I can only use one at HP (or on HP products, as I tend to run out of printer ink at least once a month) and the other at American Eagle. I think it's an easy way for me to build credit, and I can't use them for purchasing just anything so I keep my spending in check.
24I'm proud to say that I don't own one. I don't ever want one, either!
25I got my first credit card when I was 18, in 1977. My credit limit was $250!
26ummm I still dont have a credit card! By choice!!!
27I got mine after I started my 1st job out of high school. I needed it because I was going to backpack through Europe and needed a credit card to pre-book dorms and such and for an emergency too.
28Sophomore year in college...it's important to build up a good credit history so you get good rates when applying for car/home loans. A big part of your score is how long your accounts have been open. I have paid off my bills in full every month.
29last year actually at age 33.
debit cards dont count
30junior year of high school! it came in on prom night! thankful for my parents who taught me the importance of credit.
31My first was just out of HS going into college and turning 18 all at the same time. I ALWAYS paid off my balance and today I have GREAT credit. My husband and I had built up some CC debt over the last 4 years, but just recently paid it all off and haven't used them since.
This brings up an issue that I have to say something about. What young child is going to be so responsible with this card? From keeping track of purchases to paying off the bill to keeping it in a secure place? PLUS, what if he/she loses it? Do you think the child will go right to the parents and admit the loss? Or even know to call the company and report it right away?
My house was just burglarized on Wed morning and my entire wallet was stolen with all my bank and credit cards. I called within 2 hours of it happening, that only my debit card was used at gas stations and I won't be responsible for the unauthorized charges. But will a 10 or 15 year old be responsible to report something like this? I have my doubts.
32in college- it had a 2000k limit and my parents paid it off- therefore i couldn't spend like crazy or i'd get in major trouble!
33I got a credit card when I turned 18 and went away to college.
34It was a horrible idea and ruined my credit to start off.
Now 6 years later and much more responsible, still have just one credit card that I am happy to say I can manage!!!
I go my first credit card as soon as I turned 18, while I was still in High School. The funny thing is that they would give this kid a credit card and my husband who is from France (and has a good credit history there) can't get a credit card here b/c of lack of credit history in the USA.
35I got it in my early twenties, but I wasn't in college at the time.
36I had a debit card at 14 and got my first credit card when I entered college. I was very responsible and now I have excellent credit.
37meg1n1022, I assume you mean $2000 not $2,000K (which would be $2,000,000), right?! Anyways, I have NEVER carried a balance and I have good credit, which is nice. However, I used to be one of those people that was fairly easily lured into getting store credit cards because of the initial discount (Hey, I was in college and any discount sounded good!), but I've canceled them all now.
38I actually think that people should get credit cards as young as possible, as soon as they start working -- and learn right away about paying it off every single month without fail. If you treat it like a debit card, only spending what you have and keeping track of your spending, you can build up great credit. Building a good credit rating is just as important as building a nest egg or starting a 401k, IMO.
39I got my first credit card freshman year of high school. It helped me be responsible back then, now.... not so much.
40when i was in high school, i was working after school at a clothing store, and my mom got me a credit card off her account so i could get stuff. i got my OWN card when i was in college, but i'm happy to say that i don't have any right now - aside from my debit card that i use. i don't really like the thought of paying for things that i can't afford RIGHT NOW - so i don't use them.
41I was buying my first 'brand new' car - I had all but $700.00 in cash. The bank would not give me a car loan for that amount - and gave me a credit card instead.
42I was credit card-phobic for a very long time. I only got a credit card because, during a routine credit report check, I learned that the only thing holding me back from an even more stellar credit score was the fact that I didn't have any revolving credit. That was only a few months ago. Fortunately, by that time I was already well-trained in knowing what I can and can't afford and what my normal expenses are, so I'm not in danger of carrying a balance. I'm more of a saver than a spender anyway. I pay for almost everything on my credit card and pay it off in full the very day I receive my statement. The cool thing about this arrangement is that balancing my checkbook is much, much easier!
43Oh yeah: Reward points FTW.
4418, so I was still in high school. I only bought gas with it, and paid it off every month. I have amazing credit for a 23 year old!
45I got my first card right after I turned 18 (I was a senior in HS)... regretted it ever since! LOL!
46I got my first credit(or rather debit card) when I was 18. And it was utterly annoying to have to use cash when I got to college because my annoying credit union said I had to wait EXACTLY until my birthday. I couldn't even get it an effing because my birthday was a Sunday I had to effing wait until Monday grrrrr. And they HAD to mail it to my house and I wasn't living at home anymore, so I had to come back just to get my card. Eff! But I think it depends on where you live because my best friend who is from Vegas had her mother partly on her card just like me and she got her birthday before school started. And maybe because she went thru Bank of America and not a credit union. I would've got my card at 17 had the credit union not be so darn ridiculous.
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