If you’re 18–22 and thinking about getting your first credit card, this episode is your blueprint. Professor Heath sits down with two real college students — Hannah and Zien — to break down what actually happens when you’re an authorized user, how to choose your first card, and the biggest mistakes students make when building credit.

We cover EVERYTHING your friends, parents, and TikTok never explain:

💳 Authorized user vs your own card
💳 Why credit cards feel like “free money” (and how that traps students)
💳 What builds your credit score at 18: utilization, history, payments
💳 The truth about secured credit cards and student cards
💳 How to pick your first card without getting ripped off
💳 How missing one payment affects your score
💳 A simple way to never miss a due date again
💳 The “closing date” hack that can instantly increase your score
💳 How to build your first emergency fund as a college student
💳 Why subscriptions quietly destroy your budget
💳 How to avoid lifestyle creep before it ruins your finances

This episode mixes real student honesty, financial literacy you can actually use, and laugh-out-loud moments (like the Quizlet+ and Snapchat+ confessions).

Whether you're getting ready to apply for your first credit card or trying to fix your credit early, this conversation gives you the tools to start strong — and avoid the mistakes that follow students for years.

🔥 Try the 1-Week Credit Challenge:

Turn on auto-pay
Cancel 2 unused subscriptions
Build a $250 emergency fund
Identify your card’s closing date
Make a small payment before the closing date
Comment your biggest takeaway

This is the episode every college student should watch before opening a credit card.