- New online guide for students provides key facts and tips for responsible borrowing at university

- 24 per cent of under 24s have a credit card, compared to 66 per cent of the population as a whole

APACS, the UK payments association, has today (15 September 2006) published a new guide, Cards and Students, which provides comprehensive financial advice for students about to start university.

The guide provides a wealth of information on borrowing, with a focus on credit cards, including:

• Tips for safe borrowing and good financial management
• Advice on protection against fraud
• A list of benefits and risks: 10 questions to ask before choosing a credit card. 

While APACS figures show that only one in four people (24 per cent) aged between 18 and 24 has a credit card, a large number of students remain concerned about personal finance issues.

Sandra Quinn, director of communications at APACS, says:

“This advice guide is designed as a quick and easy checklist for students. It provides information they need to make informed decisions about their personal finances and clearly explains the various card payment options available to them.” 

“Nowadays, most students expect to be in debt when they graduate and whilst it might be impossible to avoid student loan debt, getting a handle on managing your finances can make the world of difference.

“We have an important role to play in educating all people, not just students, about responsible borrowing and the benefits and risks of using plastic cards.”

The guide is available at http://www.apacs.org.uk/media_centre/press_releases.html

ENDS

For further information contact the APACS Cards Information Office:

T: 0870 420 3208 E: apacs@fourcommunications.com

APACS is the UK payments association. It provides the forum for the UK's financial institutions to come together on non-competitive issues, to develop banking systems for the future and to provide innovation and developments in payments. It is also the banking industry voice on payments issues such as plastic cards, payment fraud, cheques, electronic payments and cash and is the banking organisation coordinating chip and PIN roll-out.