 TITLE: Can I Get a Credit Card at 16? CONTENT: Understand How Credit Works Before Getting a Credit Card\n--------------------------------------------------------\nBefore begging your parents to add you as an authorized user on their card, take some time to learn the basics of credit cards and credit scores, and how the former can impact the latter.\nMake sure you understand why you should pay your statement balance in full (hint: you'll avoid interest!), never pay late (because it's really bad for your scores) and always keep a low credit utilization ratio.\nIf you want some training wheels, see if your parent has a Barclays credit card (like the Upromise® Mastercard®, which helps you save for college). Barclays is one of the only credit card issuers that offers its cardholders the ability to set per-transaction spending limits for authorized users. As long as you're 16, it will also report your behavior to the credit bureaus, helping you build your credit.\n(While American Express cards also allow spending limits, Amex doesn't report underage behavior to the credit bureaus—so having one of these cards won't help your credit.) END