I just need a decent credit card so I can rent somewhere. Can someone throw some advice my way? I get tons of shit in the mail from various credit card companies because I recently finished college, but I am thinking that some of those aren't the most honest
as long as you use it like a debit card (don't spend more than you have and autopay the whole amount every month) you should be okay. the issue comes up when you actually use it like a super high-interest rate loan. avoid that debt at all costs! (I know easier said than done)
This is the way. Get one from a credit union if you can, and start with a low credit limit if you're worried you're going to overuse it. Try to get one with low interest rates instead of good rewards or whatever. Buy shit on it that you know you can afford (really helps to keep track of your spending in a spreadsheet, it will really open your eyes), and pay it off immediately. You should be able to get a decent score soon enough. Also, try to use it on products or services from large firms - apparently credit cards can be nasty to smaller merchants.
cosign everything above! I had to start with a HORRIBLE card (lots of student loan debt) but slowly ended up with something better. I unfortunately don't use a credit union, which isn't so cool, but I do get good rewards and free travel all the time. but in all honesty, just take what you get, use a spreadsheet (I don't even budget, just track everything coming in and out) and voila! you get credit score
People have been talking about credit unions all over this post, and it sounds like a great option. I hate my fucking bank so much
lol I remember when they were charging me for living paycheck to paycheck :capitalist-laugh:
Maybe credit unions do that too idk. But my bank FUCKING SUCKS
Set a reminder to pay it off every month before it is due. Credit cards can be a useful tool if you pay it off every month and don't pay interest. I use my card for literally everything and get 2% cash back on everything.
That's pretty good considering that's higher than the 0.5% interest on my bank account and I spend more than I save.
If you find yourself carrying a balance across months just cancel it and go back to cash/debit.
If you have a checking account at a bank they can probably set you up with a credit card pretty easily.
If you really don’t want one, see if your bank offers a secured credit card (which is a credit card that can help build up your credit score but is basically a debit card because you have to put money in the account before using the card).
But if you want to get a regular one, use a website like credit karma and see which ones you’ll qualify for and look for one with the highest cash back %, no annual fee, and first year with 0% interest, and use it for everything and just keep it 100% paid off by paying it off often, like once a week. You’ll get some money back on all your purchases which is nice.
So I have a cash back rewards credit card (like 27% or something crazy) and a credit union credit card (8%). Idk how common this is, but at my credit union you can “transfer money” from the credit card to you checking account, which is just a cash advance, and it’s the same interest as a purchase on that card. So if I ever need to use a credit card, I use the rewards card to purchase, then I immediately pay off that amount with a cash advance from the credit union card. That way I get the cash back rewards as well as the low 8% interest, plus the credit score boost from multiple accounts
