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Getting a credit card without any credit?
My husband and I are just starting out and we are trying to build up credit. (i know...not the economy to do it in...) are there any companies that specialize in this?? We have absolutely no credit....and ofcourse...you can't get any credit without already having credit. any info would be great
Wow...the amount of answers overwhelmed me! I kind of noticed on most of the online sites they will give you a credit card worth around 500$ but then you have to pay nearly 300$ just to have the card. I think i will either look into a secured credit card or talk to my bank. I don't want so i can buy things i can't afford and just say "o well---i have credit" I just think it is time to start building it up so in the future i can buy things such as a house. And the buying groceries thing with it sounds like a good idea. My mom told me that too. She said you dont want to buy so little that the credit card company isn't making anything off of you or so much that you can't pay it back. Thanks everyone
20 Answers
- rowlfeLv 71 decade agoFavorite Answer
Not true. You CAN get credit without having any. Actually it is quite easy, however it IS time consuming. Consider a prepaid credit card. These appear on your credit report as a credit card even though being prepaid, they are NOT actual credit cards and they do not help much. These are there for appearance only, for your image. It is important that the name get into your credit report. Use it for little things, like groceries and such. You will cancel these prepaid cards as soon as you get any other charge accounts. Prepaid cards are bad financial deals for the consumer. You are paying them to hold your money in theior account until you use the card to withdraw some and all the time they charge you for getting to your money. This is as bad as a debit card. Debit cards are like prepaid cards only they use your bank account like an electronic check. Again, the bank charges you fees for getting to your money and worse, can charge you fees and penalties as you can overdraw your account and not know until a month later. Debit cards are a stupid idea for the consumer and a cash cow for the bank. They pay you interest on a saving account, yet you pay THEM with a debit account! Next, go to department stores like Sears, Penny's and such and apply for a store account. Most stores who offer accounts will extend credit up to several hundred dollars on your signature alone and may not ever actually check your credit, but they will make an entry in your credit record. Use the accounts frequently for small items. Pay half or more, but not all the balance the first month, repeat the next month and then pay the balance remaining in full on the 3rd bill. You want to develop a payment history. Paying in full reduces interest, but never shows up as a history of making payments. Sounds illogical, but when you are just getting started, you actually hurt your credit rating if you pay in full every time. You get points for paying installments on a regular basis. Once you have established a payment history, many months worth, then apply for a credit card. Use any offer you get in the mail, but gather them for a while and choose the one with the lowest rates. Chances are, you will get approved. And, as they say, you're in business. Figure a year, give or take. Like I said, easy but time consuming. Important! Apply for separate accounts for both of you. Just having your name on the other's account does you no good. Once you have a credit card, then you negotiate with the bank to waive annual fees and get a lower interest rate, and then you make it a practice to always pay in full every month, which will cost you the least in interest and fees. Your goal is to get rid of the fees entirely and get the lowest rate, which will happen if you always pay on time and in full. The reason is as a good customer, reliable, every year they will up your credit limit and if you ask, may lower your interest rates. Remember, if you make a late payment, even ONE time, you may negate the hard work you've done. Read the terms of the interest and fees. You will find that if you are late even once, they can jump the interest rate to 25% or MORE. NEVER, EVER, make a late payment. Always pay something on time even if the bare minimum. I've been working this for many years and I now have a credit card with a limit that would take a brand new BMW. In 1968 when I got my first credit card in this manner, my limit was only $200, and now, like I said, I could charge a BMW with room to spare... NOT that I would DO such a stupid thing, but at least I could charge something big if I had to in case of the proverbial rainy day...
- Anonymous5 years ago
Everyone has to start somewhere since you're not born with credit. You do have to start out with a crappy credit card in the beginning. My first credit card was a Capitol One card with a $400 limit and over 20% interest rate. I got the offer in the mail and signed up just so that I could start building credit. You might be able to get a student credit card or one from your bank if you already have a checking account. Once you get your first crappy credit card, the best thing to do is put stuff on it that you'd be buying anyway, like gas or groceries, and pay it off each month. That way you can build a little bit of credit and avoid interest charges. Pretty soon you'll be getting more and more offers in the mail, and you can upgrade to higher limits and lower interest rates. Once you get a lower interest rate it can actually be beneficial to use a credit card to more slowly pay off a larger purchase because creditors will see that you can be trusted with larger purchases.
- 1 decade ago
A secured credit card is one way to establish credit. Basically, you open a savings account with a bank, and in return, they give you a credit card with a credit limit of the same amount.
Another option is a car loan, they are easier to get than most other loans, but you need a down payment if you have no credit, of 30-40%, or possibly even more.
Be careful about applying for too much credit, though. Inquiries get counted against you on your credit score, and if you apply for too many loans, you could end up pretty much killing any chance you've got of getting approved. Make sure to ask a lot of questions of whoever you're trying to finance through before actually giving them your social security number and having them run your credit.
- Roxanne GLv 61 decade ago
if you want to establish credit find a creditor with the best percentage rate offered to you. shop online look around before you actually apply. if you are unable to qualify for a credit card you could try and get a department store credit card to start. but don't forget your interest will be higher than most people. make sure you pay off your bills ontime and if you can pay them off in full every month even better. so to ensure this make purchases only to build the credit such as postage stamps etc. then pay it off. do not go out and buy a $2000 stereo system because it will take you forever to pay off and you can't afford it. good luck and do your homework
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- Bambi BerkowiczLv 61 decade ago
There are lots of credit card companies that will give you a credit card with no credit whatsoever. College students are always being handed forms for them. Be careful, though. A lot of them have big yearly fees and charge you right up front for them.
Open a bank account somewhere and see about getting a card through the bank. You'll be better off in the long run.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
I recommend going to speak with a personal banker at whatever institution that you bank with. If you have a checking and savings account, and you don't have negative credit history or account history, then they will generally work with you to get your first credit account. You are far more likely to get a good deal there than you are by scavenging the internet for your first credit card. You'll most likely wind up with a useless credit line of $300 which is already 75% used up by "enrollment fees" and "annual fees". Not to mention you'll probably get a crazy interest rate in the high teens or twenty's and get stuck with a ludicrous annual fee in the $30 - $90 range.
Definitely explore your options before getting into a contract. A word of advice from experience is to stay away from Captial One. Also try to stay away from department store charge cards. They have some of the worst interest rates in consumer history!
Also, make sure to keep your balance below 30% of your credit limit. Your debt to credit ratio factors heavily in your credit score/rating.
- robert43041Lv 71 decade ago
Actually, if you both work, have a bank account and pay those bills regularly (whatever they are) I'm surprised you haven't received on application thing in the mail. Plus, at your local mall they're dying to give them out at those big stores (though you really don't want one of those, the interest is way too high). I'd suggest Visa or some such
- AleksLv 61 decade ago
Go to the same bank where u have your checking account. That's what I did - I opened checking account in Washington Mutual, then in 6 month got WM credit card with like 300 or 500 limit.
- 1 decade ago
That's not true. Apply for a credit card and, to build credit, buy smile things such as packages of gum or gas- things you can easily pay off and you'll start building your credit.
- Apple JuiceLv 61 decade ago
http://www.credit.com/products/credit_cards/sub-pr...
go there. This isn't spam I promise. This is where I went to get a credit card for me and my husband, we have bad credit and are trying to build up ours. We got the premier mastercard. This site is not affiliated with any credit card company.
MAKE SURE YOU GET ONE THAT REPORTS TO ALL 4 MAJOR CREDIT BUREAUS MONTHLY!! What you should do is pay for groceries or bills everymonth with the credit card, and pay it off completely at the end of them month NEVER carry over a ballance. I just did like a sh*t ton of research on this to build up my credit.
Source(s): This place will be good for you too, this is for people with limited to no credit. I have personally used both these sites. http://www.creditcards.com/no-credit-history.php