Secured Credit Card – The First Step to Rebuilding Credit

Having low credit scores can make getting a regular credit card difficult, but the situation is not impossible to fix. There are options to get what is known as a secured credit card that you are virtually guaranteed to be approved for.

If you need or want a credit card but are worried that your poor credit history will stop you, then you perhaps you need some advice about how to get a credit card even with poor credit scores. Follow these steps to have a much better chance of getting a secured credit card:

Retail Store Credit Cards

If you have poor credit then one of the best places to start applying for credit cards are at small retail stores. Retail or Chain stores have high rates of approvals, but the cards are mostly only useful in that store. If your application is approved, then buy something small each month and then pay off the bill. This will show other credit card companies that you are able to handle credit and pay your bills. Make sure that the credit issuing company reports to the three major credit agencies.

Get a Bank Credit Card

After you have had a store charge card for some time, the next step is often to apply for a card at your bank. If you have been with your bank a long time and you have performed well with them, then they might be able to help you out.

Secured cards

If you are like most people with low credit and are unable to get a bank or store card, then try and get a secured card first. This involves putting down a deposit that is held by the credit card company while you use the card. This collateral takes away some of the risk for the lender and approval for this type of card is almost guaranteed. Check to make sure that if you pay your bills then eventually you can upgrade to a regular unsecured card.

Avoid annual fees

Avoiding looking at any cards with annual membership fees used to be much easier. There used to be plenty of credit card companies that did not charge annual fees – but those times are rapidly changing. Almost every secured card also requires an annual fee. Stick to well known card types like Visa and MasterCard as they are the most widely accepted. This will help you to make the most of the credit you have.

Using your Secured Credit Card

Once you have a card, remember that you can use it to your advantage rather than putting yourself into debt. Only spend what you can afford to pay the minimum payment plus a good piece of the remaining charges .  If you pay off your bills on-time, then your credit rating will improve in a few short months and you can get better terms and a higher credit limit.

Related posts:

1. Credit Card Basics – Secured Credit Cards 101
2. Secured Credit Cards – A Chance to Improve Your Credit Score
3. How To Get a Credit Card For Low Credit With No Deposit Required

Tags: Credit card, Credit rating, Improve Credit Score, Secured Credit Card

This entry was posted on Monday, October 12th, 2009 at 8:50 pm and is filed under Secured Credit Card. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.