Recommend A Second Credit Card For A Student

[Jean Alesi]

Right now all I have is a student Visa from CIBC with a credit limit of $1000, but I wouldn't mind getting a card with some rewards that I can use. Air Miles keeps sending me applications for their American Express card and I was thinking of filling it out. Anyone here have it and is it recommended?

A few people I know have a PC Financial Mastercard and I think the rewards on it could be practical for me. Is this card easy to get though? Please feel free to recommend me others cards, but do keep in mind that I am a university student who only makes around $30 000 a year so I want to stay away from annual fees.

Thanks

[Khrak]

Double check this, but I'm pretty sure that PCFinancial Mastercard has 0 fees (All their other products are fee-free), it also pays ~1% back in PC points, even students need food! :cheesygri

[marcus]

Double check this, but I'm pretty sure that PCFinancial Mastercard has 0 fees (All their other products are fee-free), it also pays ~1% back in PC points, even students need food! :cheesygri
You're right. I just got a PCF matercard and no fees as long as you don't take out cash through an ATM with it (basicly a cash advance)
I really like mine. It seemed easy enough to get for me. You get extra points if you sign up online for it.
http://www.pcfinancial.ca/

[Drew_W]

Depends what GOALS the student has. SPG card for travel, Ultramar for cashback if spending more than $9k annually, etc.

[belfour]

another vote for PC

[Drew_W]

Stop voting, start asking this guy the right qualifying questions to see what he wants to get out of a rewards card.

[someone16]

30k/year? thats enough to get alot of different cards. It really just depends on what you want as rewards, if you just want cashbacks (~1% after $3000 purchases) go with the CIBC dividend card or your own bank's equivalent card. Like others have said, if you want groceries, PC Mastercard would be the best. There's also the Scotiabank Scene Visa card if you watch alot of movies (basically spend every $1000 for a movie ticket)

Im sure there are more rewards card out there but i think those above are the most useful cards.

Edit: all of those cards are fairly easy to get with your annual income

[Jean Alesi]

I think I will apply for the PC Mastercard tommorrow, groceries are a good enough reward for me. :)

[arnyk]

Well I'm a student and I decided that two cards was all I needed: one VISA and one Mastercard.

VISA = not many *great* rewards out there, so I just kept it basic and got a Classic II student VISA from my bank RBC. Easy to get, approved, account manager loves me, $5,000 limit (kinda dumb on the bank's part lol but I won't complain).

Mastercard = much better for the rewards, I picked the Citi Enrich Mastercard because it's basically a straight forward 1% CASHBACK, no tiered bullcrap.

PCF Mastercard is a close second, I just prefer straight cash over groceries (but yeah it's pretty much as good as cash).

[blink]

Well I'm a student and I decided that two cards was all I needed: one VISA and one Mastercard.

VISA = not many *great* rewards out there, so I just kept it basic and got a Classic II student VISA from my bank RBC. Easy to get, approved, account manager loves me, $5,000 limit (kinda dumb on the bank's part lol but I won't complain).

Mastercard = much better for the rewards, I picked the Citi Enrich Mastercard because it's basically a straight forward 1% CASHBACK, no tiered bullcrap.

PCF Mastercard is a close second, I just prefer straight cash over groceries (but yeah it's pretty much as good as cash).

:arrowu:

Exactly.

My main card is Citi Driver's Edge (2% towards any car purchase).
My back-up card is PCF (1% towards groceries).
My alternate VISA is the Scotiabank Passport Gold card for insurance purposes (annual fee has been waived).

[f00kie]

VISA = not many *great* rewards out there, so I just kept it basic and got a Classic II student VISA from my bank RBC. Easy to get, approved, account manager loves me, $5,000 limit (kinda dumb on the bank's part lol but I won't complain).

I am on the Classic card (same type, but no rewards and no fee) with a $2,000 limit. I need to spend a lot more the next couple of months (I have the cash to pay for it), but I called RBC and they wouldn't raise my limit, saying $2,000 is the max they give out on student cards. How'd you get it?

PS. I have never paid a bill late, have had the card for over 2 years, and the average monthly balance has been $1000. Why doesn't RBC like me?

[grilw]

at 18 I started with CIBC Dividend Visa with $500 limit .

Recently I upgraded to $1000 limit, with option to go to $5000 ,but didn't want to .

Next for me is gonna be PC Financial Mastercard , but not until I feel the need to have it , don't know why anyone would.

[arlo72]

What I want to know is how you are a university student and also making $30,000. That's crazy. Seriously??

[VivienM]

PS. I have never paid a bill late, have had the card for over 2 years, and the average monthly balance has been $1000. Why doesn't RBC like me?

Random suggestion (this seems to be how BMO works): at some point in a month, make two payments. If your spending is high enough that you have to make a payment midway through the billing period, then it seems that BMO's computers will flag you for a credit limit increase. Other banks may do it likewise.

To the OP: their reward programs are a tad less generous than some others, perhaps, but otherwise BMO Mosaik is great.

[catlover]

I like using American Express so I can collect air miles.

If you like to travel td is offering this:
http://www.tdcanadatrust.com/tdvisa/travel.jsp

[molala]

Right now all I have is a student Visa from CIBC with a credit limit of $1000, but I wouldn't mind getting a card with some rewards that I can use. Air Miles keeps sending me applications for their American Express card and I was thinking of filling it out. Anyone here have it and is it recommended?

A few people I know have a PC Financial Mastercard and I think the rewards on it could be practical for me. Is this card easy to get though? Please feel free to recommend me others cards, but do keep in mind that I am a university student who only makes around $30 000 a year so I want to stay away from annual fees.

Thanks

CIBC is very tight in terms to student account. My friend has one and she is NOT a student anymore, she wants to change to the regular one so she gets greater debit limit, but they won't let her change it unless she prove to them that she is not a student anymore. WTF??

Even with $30,000 income wouldn't get you American Express, and all of them requires monthly fee except for the business ones, or you make a lot of money and they voluntarily give you a no fee platinum one.

I have an RBC Starbucks card and I get awesome reward from it. I don't really shop at Loblaw's (i think they are expensive!) noe No Frills (i don't have one nearby), so I don't know much how good the reward is. But for whichever one you get, stay OUT OF MBNA. They are the most annoying people ever. My brother got one when he was a student, and they called EVERY OTHER DAY (and i am NOT exaggerating!) to nag him to buy extra insurance craps. My brother moved to another country after he graduated, they still calls EVERY OTHER DAY to look for him. I told them N times to make a note in the computer saying that my brother left the country, but they don't listen. All I could do is to avoid picking up the phone during the evening. My other friend had an MBNA card before and when she denied she wants insurance, the rep yelled at her and questioned her why she won't want it. Now I told my brother to cancelled the card, but I overpayed them $100, instead of giving me back the money, they send me the god damn statement every month.

[molala]

Right now all I have is a student Visa from CIBC with a credit limit of $1000, but I wouldn't mind getting a card with some rewards that I can use. Air Miles keeps sending me applications for their American Express card and I was thinking of filling it out. Anyone here have it and is it recommended?

A few people I know have a PC Financial Mastercard and I think the rewards on it could be practical for me. Is this card easy to get though? Please feel free to recommend me others cards, but do keep in mind that I am a university student who only makes around $30 000 a year so I want to stay away from annual fees.

Thanks

CIBC is very tight in terms to student account. My friend has one and she is NOT a student anymore, she wants to change to the regular one so she gets greater debit limit, but they won't let her change it unless she prove to them that she is not a student anymore. WTF??

Even with $30,000 income wouldn't get you American Express, and all of them requires monthly fee except for the business ones, or you make a lot of money and they voluntarily give you a no fee platinum one.

I have an RBC Starbucks card and I get awesome reward from it. I don't really shop at Loblaw's (i think they are expensive!) noe No Frills (i don't have one nearby), so I don't know much how good the reward is. But for whichever one you get, stay OUT OF MBNA. They are the most annoying people ever. My brother got one when he was a student, and they called EVERY OTHER DAY (and i am NOT exaggerating!) to nag him to buy extra insurance craps. My brother moved to another country after he graduated, they still calls EVERY OTHER DAY to look for him. I told them N times to make a note in the computer saying that my brother left the country, but they don't listen. All I could do is to avoid picking up the phone during the evening. My other friend had an MBNA card before and when she denied she wants insurance, the rep yelled at her and questioned her why she won't want it. Now I told my brother to cancelled the card, but I overpayed them $100, instead of giving me back the money, they send me the god damn statement every month.

[molala]

I am on the Classic card (same type, but no rewards and no fee) with a $2,000 limit. I need to spend a lot more the next couple of months (I have the cash to pay for it), but I called RBC and they wouldn't raise my limit, saying $2,000 is the max they give out on student cards. How'd you get it?

PS. I have never paid a bill late, have had the card for over 2 years, and the average monthly balance has been $1000. Why doesn't RBC like me?

When I was a student, RBC only gives maximum of $1,500 limit. If you want greater limit, go for another type of card, honestly, the interest rate isn't much of a deal. After finished school, I earn about $40,000-$45,000 for the last 5 years, pay my bills in full every month, all they give me is $6,000. I think getting $5,000 for a student credit card he either corrupted the manager or his misread a digit.