Luc Rochefort
Union des consommateurs
2005
This report presents the results of a survey of college and university students on the possible effects of credit cards on the personal finances of young people and on their understanding of consumer credit. For the purposes of the analysis, our comparisons sort students according to their level of schooling (college or university) and whether or not they have a credit card. It is important to point out that the purpose of this research was to pinpoint certain trends among postsecondary students in terms of their use of consumer credit. Given the limited sampling, the results of this research should be considered merely as a rough sketch of how students live. This research did not include a review of the literature on student indebtedness, and no comparison with available statistics was established. The first chapter gives a more detailed explanation of the methodology used in this research; the second presents the research sample. In a third chapter, the data from the survey are used to analyze trends in the use of personal loans, student loans, and, finally, consumer credit (personal lines of credit, credit cards, and cash advances on credit cards). The fourth chapter presents an analysis of debt accumulation and of students’ understanding of credit.
Some of the information on this Web page has been provided by external sources. The Government of Canada is not responsible for the accuracy, reliability or currency of the information supplied by external sources. Users wishing to rely upon this information should consult directly with the source of the information. Content provided by external sources is not subject to official languages, privacy and accessibility requirements.
French (PDF document)
OCA Funded ResearchThis research received funding support through the Office of Consumer Affairs' Contributions Program.
Union des consommateurs 7000 Parc Ave, Suite 201 Montreal, QC H3N 1X1
Source: Consumer Policy Research Database