Start racking up insurmountable levels of debt early, it's the American way, kids!

Well it is according to a new survey from CreditCards.Com. They say 8% of parents say they've given their kids a credit card. You can't get your own card when you're under 18, but your parents can add you to their account. I got my first one at 18, and paid it off when I was 30! It was terrible. But, that's my story and not everyone else's. And I was an legal adult!

Of the parents who've given their kids a credit card, 21% say their kids have used it without permission at least once. So is it such a good idea to give your kids a credit card? Let's look at both sides:

  • PROS:
    They have it for serious emergencies, it can teach them about responsible spending, it shows you trust them and it might help them learn more about how credit works so they don't make mistakes when they're older.
  • CONS:
    But on the down side, it can lead to them being more reckless with money and they could max out the account, which could hurt your credit score AND theirs, and they could get used to buying things they can't afford.

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