A college student's guide to not going broke

By Justin Boyle

School's in session, orientations are over and you're throwing out the last of your moving boxes. The realities of college life are starting to sink in. Other than the occasional supermarket circular or sheet of pizza-delivery coupons, nothing much shows up in the mailbox downstairs.

But one day an envelope arrives. It's stamped with phrases like "pre-approved" or "free rewards inside." After scanning the offer inside, you fill out the application form and send it back.

When your credit card comes, it's like a golden ticket. You pick some things out at a store, hand the card to the cashier and walk out with your items. You see something you like on the Internet, punch those magic numbers into the form and receive the confirmation page: Your item is on its way. You order pizza for some friends on your floor -- no coupons required.

In short, you have a massive amount of fun ...

By Megg Mueller

Whether you've been bitten by the travel bug or just need to travel frequently for work, it's always nice to get something in return for the spending you do on the road. One way to do that is by using the Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card from Chase. This card can help you start stacking up reward points quickly and earn you rooms and flights for your travels -- all for a reasonable annual cost.

The initial perks

If you haven't previously had a Marriott Rewards you can currently earn some attractive perks for signing up, and after charging $1,000 in purchases on your new Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card in your first three months after opening the account you can get 50,000 bonus reward points. There is an introductory annual fee of $0 the first year, then $85.

By Megg Mueller

While many appreciate having a credit card with perks, others find the points, rewards and cash back that come with many cards to be more trouble than they're worth. For those folks, the Citi Simplicity Visa Card may be what they're looking for. This credit card emphasizes convenience and ease-of-use, instead of the bells and whistles that come with other cards.

What you'll get

For new card holders, you can get a 0 percent introductory rate on purchases and balance transfers for the first 18 months. You even get four months to complete the balance transfer, giving you plenty of time to clear your balance from a higher-interest card ...

By Tim Sullivan

Last week, for no apparent reason, my phone became little more than an ornate paperweight. I took it to the repair guys and they told me that the phone was out of warranty, shrugged and quoted me the sky-high replacement cost.

Who came to the rescue? My credit card company.

Most of us know about credit card rewards, such as points for air travel, but almost every credit card comes with other lesser-known benefits, like the extended warranty coverage that prevented me from having to pop for a new phone. If you ever buy electronics or get on a plane, listen up: You may have benefits you didn't know existed if you pay with plastic. Here are some common ones I make sure to remember ...

By Megg Mueller

Editor's Note: Thank you for your interest, this offer expired and is no longer available.

For businesses that depend on frequent travel to keep things running smoothly, the Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express offers some attractive perks. From its variety of point-redemption possibilities to its $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $65, this credit card can help make business travel a little more rewarding.

Starwood Hotels and Resorts includes over 1,100 properties worldwide, with brands such as Westin, Sheraton, W Hotels, Four Points, The Luxury Collection and St. Regis. Starpoints -- this card's unique term for reward points -- can also be used for flights on more than 350 airlines with SPG Flights, for gift cards and more. For business owners, these multiple redemption options can provide much-needed flexibility ...

By Megg Mueller

There are numerous factors that go into your credit score, so sorting myth from fact on this topic is no simple matter. But to fully take control of your credit history, it's vital that you understand the things that can help your score and the things that can harm it -- as well as the things that make no difference.

Read on to learn which factors matter when it comes to protecting your score.

How to sabotage your credit score

Perhaps the worst type of credit-score misunderstanding is the seemingly good deed that ends up hurting you ...