On any given day, students walking across campus may be drawn to tables offering free gifts for filling out credit card applications.

What most students do not realize is that the temptation of the free gift can lead to enormous credit card bills, Vicki Jacobson, director of education for Consumer Credit Counseling Service, says.

Don’t collect credit cards, she said. If you need one, have just one.

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Having a credit card is a big responsibility that can have a tremendous impact on a cardholder’s future, she said.

What a lot of consumers don’t realize is that their behavior with credit cards they are presently using is being recorded in credit reports, Jacobson said. A credit report is a person’s key to future credit.

Negative credit reports stay on a financial record for seven years, Jacobson said. She said bad credit can affect many aspects of someone’s life.

It can affect not only your chance of getting a loan for your house, she said, but it also can affect your future employment and your chances of getting a promotion.

Sue Hendrix, loan officer for First National Bank and Trust Company of Carbondale, said she advises limiting the number of credit cards to one or two.

The thing to do is do not take out more than you can pay back, Hendrix said.

It is also important to limit the amount of purchases on each credit card, Jacobson said.

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An increased credit limit is not a raise or extra income, Jacobson said. It is an extra debt.

People who have gotten in over their heads with credit card problems can call Consumer Credit Counseling Service, Jacobson said. It is a non-profit community service funded by contributions from the business community.

The service, which is free, establishes a debt payment plan and a monthly budget plan. It negotiates with creditors to get them to accept lower monthly payments. In addition to helping with credit card problems, the service can help with utility, doctor and attorney bills, Jacobson said.

The toll-free number for Consumer Credit Counseling Service is 1-800-966-3328.