Looking for an
instant approval credit card? Watch out! Most people
will send you directly to an expensive prepaid debit card – which isn’t a
credit card at all! Before you apply, read through how to get approved
for a credit card, and how to choose one that won’t bankrupt you in the
process. Just because you have bad credit doesn’t mean you deserve a bad
credit card.
4 steps to rehabbing your credit
First, let’s look at how to improve
your credit so that you can qualify for a decent credit card. If your
FICO score’s in the dumps, don’t despair: here are four simple steps you
can take to get your score back on track.
- Pay off your credit card balances. Before you apply for a new credit card, try to pay off as much of your existing balance
as you can. Even if you always pay off your bill every month and don’t
accrue interest, lenders will look at how much of your credit line
you’re using. It’s important to have as small of a balance as possible
before you apply.
- Make your payments on time. Even if you have a
spotty history, recent behavior is weighted more heavily than past
behavior, so on-time payments will go a long way towards bringing your
FICO score back up.
- Look for a secured credit card. These cards are
easier to qualify for than regular (unsecured) credit cards, because you
post an upfront deposit that guarantees your loan. Nevertheless, the
card will still help you raise your credit score and build a good
history.
- Check your credit report. Sometimes the credit
reporting agencies make mistakes, and catching an inaccuracy is a quick
and easy way to get your score up. You can get your report free from
AnnualCreditReport.com, or check out this blog post for more ways to check your score.
Your options if you have bad credit
If you can’t qualify for a regular credit card, you have a few options:
- Secured credit cards, which are easier to qualify
for because they require an upfront deposit that guarantees the loan. If
you can get this card and make timely payments, you can “graduate” to
an unsecured card.
- Co-signers with good credit can put their names on
the loan with you, using their established history to guarantee your
debt. Contrary to popular belief, you can still build credit on a card
with a co-signer.
- Debit and prepaid debit cards are a way to store your cash, but they don’t help build up your credit score, no matter what you might hear!
In general, we recommend a good secured credit card as an alternative to
instant approval credit cards. Our favorite is the Capital One Secured MasterCard,
which lets you pay the security deposit over time, up to 80 days. Note
that it does come with an annual fee, but the fee’s lower than most other secured cards.
Beware! “Instant approval” cards to watch out for
If you search for “
instant approval credit cards,” you might come up
with sites recommending cards that simply aren’t good, like:
- First Premier Aventium and Centennial. These cards come with a $300 initial credit limit and an ongoing $123 in fees a year.
- Net First Platinum. It’s not actually a credit card!
- Matrix Credit Card. It’s really sketchy – the First Premier by any other name still smells as fishy.
Hi. I’m Designer of Blog Magic. I’m CEO/Founder of ThemeXpose. I’m Creative Art Director, Web Designer, UI/UX Designer, Interaction Designer, Industrial Designer, Web Developer, Business Enthusiast, StartUp Enthusiast, Speaker, Writer and Photographer. Inspired to make things looks better.
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