What kind of credit card is right for me?

It used to be the easiest cards to get are deartment store cards. I don’t know of that is still true. Once you have one of those for a while, then it is easier to apply for a visa or mastercard. If you have a savings account at a bank, you could go into the bank and see if they will give you a card, since you already have a relationship with them.

The best way to build credit is to not max out your credit cards, always pay on time, and I recommend always paying in full so you don’t incur any interest or fees.

Do you belong to a credit union? They usually have good rates.

Do a Google search for secured credit cards. Both online and local banks and credit unions offer them (BankOne is the one I used years ago). They help you build credit but prevent you from getting into the hole, I can attest to how good they can be.

The only card I could get with no credit was a secured credit card. I paid about $50 to get a Capital One MasterCard with a $200 limit. It’s sort of a crap deal once you count in the $25 annual fee, but it really was my only option. After 6 months of getting gas on it (I never put more than $60 on it) and paying it off at the end of each month, I got approved for a department store credit card, and then another. Then I financed my husband’s truck in my name. I recently got a Discover It card – my highest credit limit and lowest interest rate yet, with cashback bonuses. It takes a couple of years to develop credit from scratch, but a secured credit card is the simplest way to start. I went from a 615 credit score to a 750 in two years.