How Do You Choose Credit Cards for Bad Credit?

May 06, 2022 4 min read

How Do You Choose Credit Cards for Bad Credit?

How Do You Choose Credit Cards for Bad Credit?

As a resident of the United States, you are bound to have some important details, such as a social security number, an identification number or card, a driver’s license, etc. However, one more thing you need more than anything is a credit score. It plays a huge role in determining your finances. With a good credit score, you can apply for loans and credit cards, get real estate properties and take up some projects. On the contrary, i.e., a bad credit score might not get you so much because there are many risks involved. 

So, what do you do if you have bad credit? Can you apply for credit cards?

The answer is Yes. You can apply for credit cards for bad credit instead of regular credit cards. It is possible because these cards have special features that allow card issuers to approve them to people with a bad credit score. 

But before you choose credit cards for bad credit, you need to know whether you are eligible for them or not. 

  1. If you have a low credit score, you obviously might not get a chance at getting a regular credit card or accessing certain benefits. And a low credit score means you have something below 630 (if it is between 300 to 850). There are several free credit score calculators online that you can try out if you do not know yours. You may also learn ways how to improve your credit score.
  2.  If you don’t have a credit history, you are also likely to have bad credit. It puts up a red flag because the risk of doing business with someone who doesn’t have a credit score is huge. 

On that note, you should also know what causes a bad credit score. 

There are different reasons why you have a bad credit score, but the major ones are: 

Debts

One of the reasons you could have a bad credit is if you have an outstanding debt or pay your bills late. Debts destroy your credit score and don’t allow creditors to put much confidence in you. So, whatever you do, always make your payments early and avoid owing money to have a good credit position. 

Credit History Timeline

Another factor responsible for affecting your credit score is the credit history timeline. For people with a short history, it can affect their credit score. More so, if you close accounts that you are not using, it could affect your score. 

Credit Type

Your credit score is also dependent on the credit type. The scoring for loan applications is similar yet different from credit cards, etc. However, if you can combine different accounts, you may likely arrive at a good credit score because being able to handle them independently shows your financial prowess. 

Credit Card Applications

Lastly, credit card applications may make or mar your score. If you apply for a credit card and get rejected for one reason or another, your score is affected. 

However, since you have the option to go for credit cards for bad credit, you may not have to worry much, only that you need to review the issuers to go with. To choose the best issuer for credit cards for fair credit, you should consider the following factors. 

Annual Fees

Before applying for a credit card for bad credit, you should first check the issuer’s annual fees. It is an important factor because it distinguishes a good issuer from a bad one. Most fake credit card issuers come with a no deposit policy, only to request exorbitant fees and maintenance charges. However, legit credit card issuers tell you that there are no annual fees, and even if there are, they are only small. 

Credit Bureau 

You can build good credit with a credit card issuer for bad credit if there is transparency and accountability with a credit bureau. If the issuer reports your payments to any of the three recognized credit bureaus, you might just get a good score after all. 

Credit Score

Finally, a good choice of a credit card issuer does not consider your credit score. If you can get an evaluation for a credit card with a free credit score and are provided with resources such as a debt-payment calculator, you can go for that issuer. 

Some of the best credit cards for fair credit include Petal Visa, OpenSky, Discover It, Navy FCU nRewards, and Tomo Credit Card. 

There is so much a credit score can do for you, so you need to keep a good record. However, it would help if you knew why you have a bad record and how to improve it. 

But what happens in a situation where you need a regular credit card but you can’t get one because of your score? You go for credit cards for a bad score. You should go for the legitimate ones to achieve whatever you want and build your credit. 


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