What are things to consider when getting a credit card?

If you don't pay off your balance every month, you're not doing yourself any favors by joining a rewards program. Don't look to a credit limit as your affordability gauge, use what you already know - your income. If you can't afford that new set of clubs, you still can't afford that new set of clubs on credit, though if its no-interest for X months, maybe you can. That's all up to you.

For me, I went with Discover as my primary card, and it carries the bulk of my living expenses month-to-month. Where its not accepted, I'll typically use my debit card. Discover's cash back is ok, 0.5-5% depending on what kind of purchase (food and gas are 5%) and their shopping partners site will give you more.

I wish there was a way to edit my question, but here are some more specifications.

I'm a university student, and currently don't have a credit rating to speak of. I'm trying to start managing my own money (as opposed to my parents doing it), so that's part of the reason I'm getting the card.
I already have a debit card, but there's a certain amount of convenience that a credit card offers, which debit does not.
I have every intention of paying off my balance as soon as I am billed for it, so I will take a further look into reward programs.
Also, I live in Canada, so it may be harder to access some of the things already mentioned here.

My honest advice? Don't get one. Unless you're trying to build a good credit rating... If you don't need it, in the long run, its a waste of money and will put you in debt.

Don't get one. If you think you need one, you don't. You can buy stuff online with a debit card. Yeah you can still get fees and overdraft charges from a debit card, but its not slavery like Chase and WaMu are selling. If you want to know why the Dave Ramsey is the guy to ask.

I disagree with Seth. You absolutely need at least one credit card in order to build your credit and you need a variety of types of credit to build your credit score.

What you want to consider are the annual fees, rewards, interest rate, and type (Amex, VISA, MasterCard). You can find a credit card with no annual fees and reasonable interest rates if you have good credit.

Even if you have good credit, you need a credit card to maintain and improve your credit. No one has a perfect score, so there is always room for improvement. The common misconception is that by not using credit you are building your credit. Not true, by responsibly using your credit you are building your credit score.

What you should do is place an auto-bill pay such as your utility, phone, cable, or even rent on a rewards credit card. These are things you typically pay for every month--why not get airline miles for them while you're at it? You'll be able to build your credit, gets rewards and responsibly manage your line of credit.

Source: http://CleanCreditClinic.com

For me the first thing I consider as it has been said is the rewards, the more you can get the more you can get back the better. I would consider the actual card that you get too. I have an Amex Blue Cash card that I use for my main card but I still carry my Visa because Amex is not accepted everywhere. Discover is like this too. I personally have found my experience with Amex to be better than with Visa and highly recommend them! Also don't carry a balance if you can't afford something in cash don't buy it!

http://www201.americanexpress.com/getthecard/learn-about/BlueCash --> Amex Blue Cash

uhm, seth? bad advice.

Get a credit card as soon as you can. Your credit score (or lack thereof) will thank you for it later, so long as you pay it off every month and don't treat it like free money.

A portion of your credit score is dependent on the length of credit history you have, so the sooner you get a credit card, the longer you have to prove your financial responsibility and the better your score will be 5 years from now when you go to buy your first house.

Stay away from anything with an annual fee. Your first credit card probably won't have that great of an APR, but if you pay it off every month, this shouldn't even be a concern. Rewards programs are usually a waste, but some cards do offer a percentage of cash back on every purchase from a grocery store or gas station.

Try searching www.consumerist.com for credit cards

www.creditkarma.com is another good one for many financial concerns (you can also get an estimate of your credit score here for free)