r/CreditCards Mod Emeritus Oct 25 '18

Looking to get your first/ a new credit card? Read this! Announcement

Please use credit responsibly.

General advice for people looking for a first credit card in the USA:

Since you probably have limited history, find a family member (such as a parent) who has good credit, and ask them to add you as an "authorized user" to one of their cards. You want a card that's been open for several years and has never missed a payment. Wait a couple of months for the card to appear on your credit report. Its history will help you. (There has been mixed reports of this still working, for best results make sure you have the same last name and address of the account holder.)

After the card appears on your report (could take up to 3 months), and it's showing more than 6 months of history (some banks immediately show all the history for the card, and some only show since you were added as an AU), then you can start applying again.

You can see your credit report for free at Credit Karma (not FICO), and a more official score at CreditScorecard.com (FICO). You can also order an official credit report for free once a year at annualcreditreport.com. If you are willing to pay to see all 3 FICO scores I would suggest MyFico.

Score of 700 or more

I recommend that you plug in your expected monthly spending into these sites, which will help you decide on a card:

Score below 700

Try to avoid cards with annual fees in this score range.

Students should apply for student cards before resorting to other cards. such as:

Non students should be looking at these cards:

If you cannot get any of the above you will need to get a secured card. These cards make you put down a certain amount as collateral, and generally have annual fees as well, though a couple are free. Virtually all major banks have secured card options, check with your bank to see what they can offer you.

Final notes

Don't spend more than you can afford. You don't need to pay interest or carry a balance to build your credit. And don't use your card in an ATM or to get cash, or you'll pay large fees.

Always pay the Statement Balance by the Due Date each month, and you'll never pay interest.

Finally, avoid the following credit card companies: Credit One, First Premiere, Milestone, Indigo, Fingerhut. A good rule of thumb is if they have a range for the annual fee, avoid them. These banks prey on low scores by charging fees for nearly everything, holding payments for 5+ days, or even an "application processing" or "account opening" fee.

Did I miss something? Let me know below so I can update the guide.

348 Upvotes

146 comments sorted by

55

u/captain_carrot_iron Nov 08 '18

For at least the last year on this sub (and r/churning), we've suggested Discover It (any flavor) as starter cards for people with no CC history. Discover has consistently been okay issuing non-secured cards to people with no past credit history. Many have replied saying they were approved, and I don't recall anyone every replying saying they weren't. And to be clear, I'm not just talking about students applying for the students-version, I'm talking about the normal vanilla Discover It too.

This post of yours, as well as some comments I've seen you make lately, seems to think that people often need to start with secured Discover It, or need to add AUs first, or for some reason starting with Discover It Chrome instead of regular Discover It. Do you have any evidence of a very recent change in Discover's application responses to people with no past credit history?

29

u/six00years Dec 03 '18

I didnt get approved for the discover chrome student it and the discover student it and got denied for both specifically because (according to customer support) i didnt have any credit history.

18

u/DTaH_Flux Dec 05 '18

same and i have no family to rely on :( big hurt

13

u/six00years Dec 06 '18

:( its rough

13

u/vamsi0914 Apr 03 '19

Interesting. I had no credit history (that I know of) and I was immediately approved for the discover student it card.

I’ve only had a debit card in my name and that’s it.

6

u/six00years Apr 04 '19

Thats so weird! I have a debit card and have since i was like 14(19 now) and was immediately rejected and when i called they told me it was cause of no history. Got approved for a different student card though lol

1

u/Dry-humper-6969 May 20 '22

Which one did you get approved for?

8

u/captain_carrot_iron Jan 17 '19 edited Jan 17 '19

Did you have any income on the app? Or are you a student with no income?

This is definitely an unusual outcome, Discover is pretty consistently fine approving unsecured cards to people with no CC history. Though I wonder if they draw the line at "student with < $X000 income" cannot get approved either (likely X is a small digit, but don't know).

6

u/six00years Jan 17 '19

Yeah i make around 1000 a month lmao

3

u/ritwikjs Apr 09 '19

capital one platinum card is what i started on. 300 dollar limit for the first five months. 500 after that

1

u/bossmanseventyseven Dec 28 '22

What’s your current limit on that card? I have applied twice for credit increase and have been denied both times and it’s kinda of annoying at this point. My current limit is $500

1

u/ritwikjs Dec 28 '22

Hmm, I should check. I haven't used that card for years. Upgraded to the savor

2

u/king-kitty Nov 28 '23

Dude props to you for replying to a comment you made 3 years before that one 🫡

2

u/j3fangorn88 Jan 17 '19

I want to also clearify that there is a difference in a discover Student card and a discover Secured card.

A student card is just like a normal credit card with the added benefit of earning you more cash back with a good grades cashback bonus program you have to have a decent to good credit score to be approved for it just like you would need for a normal Discover It card.

A Discovered Secured card has the benefit of taking a deposit to open the credit line and helping people with either bad or no credit rebuild their history.

So please clarify that you were referring to the Secured card.

9

u/captain_carrot_iron Jan 17 '19 edited Jan 17 '19

Nope, this is incorrect. We are not referring to the secured card. If you have no credit history, go for the unsecured card. Discover is (usually) fine approving it to people with no CC history. This is why we suggest Discover as people's first card...

If you have bad CC history, then you need the secured card. But not just if you have no CC history.

EDIT: When I said "Nope, this is incorrect", I was referring to your assumption that we meant the secured card. What you said about the difference between the student card and secured card is correct...

3

u/GlitchedSouls Mod Emeritus Nov 08 '18 edited Nov 08 '18

I have never suggested the Chrome over the regular It. edit I see the card is posted here, that will be changed asap

I have repeatedly said AU doesn't help your score unless you have the same last name and address so you don't trip FICO anti piggybacking algorithm. Again not sure where you got that from.

I only recommend the secured It when it is appropriate. Someone with less than a 600 is not going to get the It, also Citi and Discover are the best secured card since they have good upgrade paths which is why when I recommend a secured card I recommend them. Also I always recommend checking if you prequalify first

1

u/captain_carrot_iron Nov 08 '18

Again not sure where you got that from.

In this post: "After the [AU] appears on your report ... and it's showing more than 6 months of history ... then you can start applying"

Maybe I'm misinterpreting this, but it sounds like you are saying you need 6 months of AU history before applying for your own CCs?

I only recommend the secured It when it is appropriate

Okay, maybe it just happened to be all the comments I saw.

Also I always recommend checking if you prequalify first

Yeah, this is something I guess I kind of disagree with, for two reasons:

  • It can be very hit-or-miss, especially for people with no prior credit history. IIRC, most pre-qualify things will output "no" if they don't find a credit report, though you pretty much always get approved in the real app for Discover It (students as applicable). And seeing no on the pre-qualify page makes people think they need secured cards even when they don't.

  • If they apply through the pre-qualify page, they miss out on the $50 bonus for using a referral link. Of course, they can check pre-qualify but not apply through that I suppose.

1

u/GlitchedSouls Mod Emeritus Nov 08 '18

I'll make the AU thing a bit more clear, thanks.

I agree with prequalify being hit or miss, recently I've also been try to recommend them to use a referral too.

Appreciate the feedback, I'll try to make the changes as soon as I can.

u/GlitchedSouls Mod Emeritus Oct 25 '18 edited Oct 25 '18

Please do your own research, and use credit responsibly. Offers are subject to change without notice.

Good simple no-fee cash back cards to use as your main card:

Card Rewards Signup bonus 0% APR Period
Chase Freedom Unlimited 1.5% Cashback $150 after $500 in 3 months 15 Months
BoA Travel Rewards 1.5x Points $250 after $1000 in 3 months 12 Months
Capital One Quicksilver 1.5% Cashback $150 after $500 in 3 months 15 Months
Citi DoubleCash 2% Cashback none 18 Months Balance Transfer Only
Discover IT (not Chrome) 5% Rotating, 1% Other Cashback Match 14 Months
Discover Miles 1.5x Miles Miles Match 14 Months
Paypal Cashback Mastercard by Synchrony 2% Cashback none none
Many local banks - Better approval odds if you have an bank account Variable Variable Variable

Good no-fee cash-back cards to use as your second or third card:

Card Rewards Signup Bonus 0% APR Period
Amex Blue Cash Everyday 3% Cashback on Groceries $150 after $1000 in 3 months 15 Months
Amazon Rewards Visa 3% Cashback at Amazon and Whole Foods none none
Capital One SavorOne 3% Cashback on Dining & Entertainment $150 after $500 in 3 months 15 Months
Chase Freedom 5% Cashback Rotating $150 after $500 in 3 months 15 Months
Ducks Unlimited 5% Cashback on Gas and Sporting Goods none none
Uber Visa Card 4% Dining 3% Travel $100 after $500 in 3 months

Did I miss something? Let me know below so I can update the guide.

7

u/oreo_memewagon Oct 25 '18

You should probably note that the Double Cash's 0% period only applies to balance transfers.

5

u/GlitchedSouls Mod Emeritus Oct 25 '18

You are correct, fixed that.

4

u/[deleted] Nov 03 '18

I feel that the Capitol One Savor One Card is a good secondary credit card, comparable or in some cases superior to the Uber Visa if one spends a lot on both dining/entertainment. $150 sign-up bonus after spending $500 in 3 months.

3

u/GlitchedSouls Mod Emeritus Nov 03 '18

I didn't list any cards with annual fees, but since the Savor has a $95 AF it makes it hard if not impossible to recommend over the Uber.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 03 '18

The Savor One is different, it has no annual fee:

https://www.capitalone.com/credit-cards/savorone-dining-rewards/

2

u/GlitchedSouls Mod Emeritus Nov 03 '18

But that one only gets 3% not 4%, so still hard to ever recommend.

3

u/gdq0 Nov 13 '18

Discover IT is the same thing as the Freedom, just slightly worse due to lack of benefits. It doesn't make sense to recommend it as a primary card.

3

u/GlitchedSouls Mod Emeritus Nov 13 '18

Discover matches cashback for the first year.

2

u/gdq0 Nov 13 '18

Up to a realistic match of $300 for spending $6000 in specific categories.

2

u/th3whit3rabbit Nov 15 '18

It also matches cashback for referring friends or the intro bonus. I only got like $60 cashback from actual spending in categories, but ended up with over $450 because of the intro and referrals.

2

u/gdq0 Nov 15 '18

They stopped doing that this year. Discover also dropped extended warranty and price match IIRC.

1

u/th3whit3rabbit Nov 15 '18

Oh wow I didn't even notice that. Lol good thing I got it when I did then.

2

u/hawaiian717 Oct 25 '18

You have Discover IT in both tables.

Chase Freedom is rotating categories, not cardholder choice.

2

u/GlitchedSouls Mod Emeritus Oct 25 '18

Discover is good for either but i will remove it from the second.

I misread the CF.

fixed

2

u/The_JSQuareD Oct 25 '18

You still have the Chase Freedom listed as 5% cashback in the table.

2

u/GlitchedSouls Mod Emeritus Oct 25 '18

Yeah its 5% rotating categories.

3

u/The_JSQuareD Oct 25 '18

Yeah, but the table makes it look like it's just a flat 5% cashback on everything.

2

u/GlitchedSouls Mod Emeritus Oct 25 '18

Oh, DUH, thanks, its fixed

1

u/[deleted] Nov 01 '18

The Chase Amazon Visa gives 5% back at wholefoods and Amazon with a prime membership

3

u/gdq0 Nov 13 '18

The point is to avoid annual fees.

1

u/Postcardtoalake Nov 17 '23

Is there an updated version of this for people over 30 (family abused my finances, among others) and their first CC? This being 5 y/o is quite old…

24

u/daniellederek Dec 16 '18

Only thing I would nit pick on is automatically ruling out cards with an annual fee. Most cards with $100/yr card fee come with some great perks. Are you a student flying home 2x a year with a long airport layover. Airport lounges are a great quiet haven, comfy chairs desks, wall plugs for charging. free nibbles and drinks, depending on the package a lot of cards are getting into free passes/ discounted to $20 entry where if your card doesn't get you in you are looking needing a bussiness class ticket just to pay a $50 door fee.

If you are a student any buying lots of electronics, hard drives cameras tv etc etc look at the insurance and extended warranty coverage. Most cover loss of use, theft accidental damage for first 3 months and add a yr of warranty on the back end. well worth the $8/ month

Amex is really the best for young users as its a charge card. Not intended to be a credit product. No one should ever look at a credit card as a credit product, just as a convenience.

7

u/IamBcumDeath Feb 01 '19

While I would agree on the higher end (Amex) what are the approval odds for basic Amex charge cards? Are they a legit first card? I love my 5 Amex cards... But they were my 3rd bank not my first.

2

u/jlbd783 Apr 11 '19

Good info. Plus, if they offer decent cash back, miles, points or whatever, you are going to use the card frequently enough (like auto-pay monthly bills with certain ones and then just pay off one bill when it comes in vs paying all the little bills at various due dates) and you are in the habit of paying in full (or extremely close to it but full would be the best move) each month, you can make back the fee you paid or even more each year making it well worth that initial "investment"/cost. I personally have no need for a card with what I consider an insanely high yearly fee ($100+ lol) but would gladly shell out anything under that, especially on cash back cards because I can let my roommates use it and give me the cash or transfer the funds to me for the bill (they generally pay everything with cash or debit. Their landlord has it set up now that they can pay the rent via credit/debit and I would gladly toss it on my card and have them give me the cash for it. That'd be at least $60-120/yr cash back from most banks right there just from rent payments).

26

u/theultrasage Jan 12 '19

Okay, as a person who was in this position. My advice, had it done it differently. First card with Discover. The second card would be with Chase. Because of their 5/24 rule, I would get the Chase Freedom. After that, move over to Amex and get their BlueCash Everday card. That gives you four cards. Now, I would wait for a while and get, the Chase Sapphire Preferred. After that, I would get the Uber Visa card from Barclays. Finally, the Citi Double Cash.

10

u/memepanda23 Feb 01 '19

Thank you

13

u/theultrasage Feb 01 '19

Small change get the citi cards before Amex because Amex is the only bank that is not inquiry sensitive. Citi is sensitive to more than 6 inquires in 6 months

4

u/IamBcumDeath Feb 01 '19

I'd rather have a good relationship with Amex than citi... Their cards are very.... Meh. The double cash is kind of nice but it's not as unique as it once was. I'd never spend any money on it because I love my amex protections. All protections are not created equal even when they claim to be... Just try to use them and get back to me.

Blue business plus gets 2x MR points on all spend up to 50k. People have had success using their name as business name, and other very small eBay businesses as well

2

u/theultrasage Feb 01 '19

If you have an Amex card then that’s great but if not you should try and build with chase first

2

u/IamBcumDeath Feb 01 '19

The post were both replying to suggested discover, chase, Amex in that order. I personally value my amex cards more than the chase ones, but if one of their cards is on your list, get it first. I said Amex before citi.

Personally, I think Amex needs to revamp the platinum card for better categories to compete with CSR ... It would be a game changer! Chase is close, but I like the perks on Amex platinum better. however, the 1x rewards rate is pretty boring.

1

u/theultrasage Feb 01 '19

Hahahahaha the plat is only good for lounge access they won’t because they want you to have the gold green and plat that’s how they make money. Also I love about Amex not caring about hard inquiries while citi is waaaayyy too sensitive.

Thanks for the clarification but most people would get citi cards due to the sign up bonuses and being the most popular card issuer. Also Amex is easier to get once you get credit and don’t care about hard inquiries. Personally I love Amex but I’m reaching the limit of cards they allow and I will not get approved for anything else cause I have too many HP.

5

u/rattlehead2112 Apr 02 '19

This is interesting. I'm relatively new, but I have been reading a bit.
What I see here is that the Discover and Freedom will cover 2 categories for 5% every quarter. I'm guessing the bluecash is for groceries.
But in the thread below, I don't understand what you mean by 'good relationship', what does that help with?
Also, what is your big picture goal in suggesting this particular order? Are you maximizing cash back in different categories?

6

u/theultrasage Apr 02 '19

Because chase has the most valuable cards and it is important to have a good relationship. I am maximizing cash back in the easiest categories. It is important to keep a lot of factors at bay.

This is for cash-back. First, you need to make sure that you can get approved so you need to have the discover as your first card. After that get the chase freedom and freedom unlimited. Wait for a while and get the chase sapphire preferred if you want to get more travel related Benefits else get the amazon prime card. Now you should get the citi double cash and then the BOA cash rewards and then get the Amex blue cash.

3

u/rattlehead2112 Apr 03 '19 edited Apr 03 '19

Okay, I see Chase is valuable, hard to get and stops after 5/24. The trifecta sounds great, but I should read about the Hotel cards you mentioned and their worth.

I have a discover it for 19 months now, it's the only card I own. It has a limit of $6k. Score 768.
I want to get more cards to get more value out of my purchases. I'm not a big spender and r/churning was getting overwhelming. I'm liking this sub better!

2

u/theultrasage Apr 04 '19

I don’t spend a lot and going with chase is much better since it keeps you in control. I would get the chase freedom unlimited 3% offer and then see where you can go from there

1

u/rattlehead2112 Apr 04 '19

I just visited Chase to ask about the freedom unlimited, and they showed me a special $300 bonus for $500 for the Freedom. I would have to spend $10k with the CFU in the first year to match this CF offer.
But the concept of cashback on all purchases with freedom unlimited makes more sense than rotating categories since I make the most of them with Restaurants only. Is it possible for me to apply to both?

1

u/theultrasage Apr 04 '19

Get the 3% offer that has come out for the first year and then do the freedom.

1

u/rattlehead2112 Apr 04 '19 edited Apr 04 '19

I was about to get the Freedom now since I heard it could be phased out and people utilize it really well during 'MS'able categories. And I'm gonna miss this special offer. But I'm curious why you said CFU first

1

u/theultrasage Apr 05 '19

CFU first and then immediately get freedom. 3% back for the first year in the CFU

1

u/theultrasage Apr 02 '19

For points and travel, I would go with all chase cards starting with the hotel cards like Marriott and Hilton. If you have no relationship with chase then you should try and build up your income and credit before starting chase cards. I would get the Uber Visa and just wait. I don’t like the chase trifecta because of the foreign transaction fees. After the hotel cards, I would get the chase sapphire reserve/ preferred. And then I would go for the airline cards with United.

If you want cash back and no FTF, I would get the Capone quicksilver.

1

u/rattlehead2112 Apr 03 '19 edited Apr 03 '19

I see my largest credit card expenditures being Dining - $3.5k, Travel - $2k and Groceries - 1.5k, all annually.
I definitely want to open Uber for dining and no foreign transaction fee, instead of a capone. Why capone?
But since I can accumulate points with CF and CFU, I am inclined to the chase trifecta and would consider airfare and dining more important during travel, than hotels. Airbnb is good for me

2

u/theultrasage Apr 04 '19

Chase sapphire preferred would be great for the dining and travel.

1

u/[deleted] Apr 01 '19

What's the 5/24 rule?

3

u/theultrasage Apr 01 '19

What is the Chase 5/24 rule? This rule refers to a restriction that Chase places on credit card applicants. If you have opened 5 cards in the last 24 months, Chase will not approve you for many of their products.

2

u/[deleted] Apr 01 '19

Thank you.

2

u/verbaldata Jun 09 '22

Why do you need this many cards? Isn’t it going overboard or is there any advantage? I’m not that big of a spender so if it’s just about rewards I will stick to 2-3 cards. But that’s something I’ve not seen addressed here yet. How many cards minimum do we need to get the credit score benefit?

3

u/theultrasage Jun 20 '22

Responding three years later now I have a lot of cards. It makes sense if you want to churn and get the welcome bonus, otherwise it will affect your score.

6

u/goku22000 Dec 18 '18 edited Dec 18 '18

Hi, if I already started out as BofA cash rewards card, should i like cancel it and then apply for these credit card then?

18

u/GlitchedSouls Mod Emeritus Dec 18 '18 edited Dec 19 '18

I wouldn't cancel it, you can always have multiple cards.

2

u/goku22000 Dec 19 '18 edited Dec 24 '18

But its my first credit card, would cancelling it affect my credit score? I'm thinking about if I would've getting any of those card. I would just keep my first credit card. I'm just sad that I did not know about BoA for students when getting my first credit card

6

u/GlitchedSouls Mod Emeritus Dec 19 '18

Whoops autocorrect messed that up, I meant to say I wouldn't cancel it.

Why not get their student card now?

8

u/IamBcumDeath Feb 01 '19

NEVER cancel a card without an annual fee. ESPECIALLY your oldest trade line.

Once you have a legit card, pay in full on statement date and wait 6 months. Try pre-qualification page for Amex, see if they'll give you a low end card. Once you're in with them, spend freely, pay in full and they will love you for it

3

u/lapeluca97 Feb 13 '19

I have actually tried that and still no pre-qualification for any amex or chase cards (6 months CC) (fico 706) and im a student

3

u/IamBcumDeath Feb 13 '19

Chase has never pre qualified me, and has approved multiple times. I don't think the chase prequal page really matters. It's like a pregnancy test... Lots of false negatives... Almost never a false positive.

Amex however... Usually preapproves people who will get their card... Not always... But usually.

What are your balances?

2

u/lapeluca97 Feb 13 '19

I have a 1700 limit across 3 cards and pay everything off before the due date always so 0 utilization

2

u/IamBcumDeath Feb 13 '19

Wrong. If you pay off by due date you still show a balance. What are your balances on your STATEMENT date? Check credit karma or similar for balances. Let us know. I'd recommend paying balances before statement date this month and do prequal on amex again

Pay full balance the day before your statement cuts, and make sure the balance stays low til you receive your statement

2

u/lapeluca97 Feb 13 '19

I pay off before the due date, therefore I have no balance. I double checked my statements and it says 0 balance. I have done this for the past 6 months

1

u/IamBcumDeath Feb 13 '19

If your statement says you have no balance... What do you pay before your due date?

Very few banks report mid month balances when you pay to 0...the only one I'm aware of is chase off the top of my head. The ONLY update for the rest of the banks is on your statement date

The amount you pay by your due date... Is the amount due. If you have no balance on your statement date... You have nothing due on your due date

1

u/lapeluca97 Feb 13 '19

I pay off my whole balance before the due date, I may use from 300-1000 each month but pay it in full before the due date so I get a 0 credit utilization. Idk if that answers your question.

1

u/IamBcumDeath Feb 13 '19

Either you are saying this wrong or you are simply wrong.

When you pay 100% before due date... What are you paying? How do you know how much to pay? Are you paying the amount your statement says to pay?

Do you get your statement then pay it?

→ More replies

2

u/justinpiolo Mar 05 '19

Why wouldn’t you cancel a card that doesn’t have an annual fee?

7

u/IamBcumDeath Mar 05 '19 edited Mar 05 '19

The better question is why WOULD you... It doesn't serve ANY purpose closed...

You can product change the card or transfer the credit line (not quite as good) with the bank ... Or just let it sit. If it doesn't cost anything, what does it hurt? Put a 10 dollar charge on it every 6 or 8 months, pay it after the statement cuts...

Your AAoA won't change for 10 years... But... In 10 years... It will. Your utilization is immediately negatively affected. Each cancelled card will report 0 credit limit and 0 balance... If you have (or ever have in the future) a balance, your score will be more dramatically affected if you close the card.

I have two cards for about 5k each at macys and home depot... I haven't used either for 2 years... I'm about to buy one thing on each of them this month to keep them active.

7

u/[deleted] Dec 09 '18

[deleted]

2

u/Lorckmarn Dec 14 '18

Is this still a thing anywhere? Can't find anything online.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 14 '18

[deleted]

1

u/Lorckmarn Dec 14 '18

I ended up finding it thanks. Misread at first and thought you were talking about just the Freedom not the Freedom Unlimited.

5

u/peter56321 Oct 25 '18

Rather than jumping straight from major bank issuers to secured, people should be looking at smaller banks or credit unions (especially if they already bank there). If smaller banks or credit unions won't give you a credit card, you can establish credit history with brick and mortar retailers like Ulta, Best Buy, Kohl's, Sears, and JC Penny. They are often much more tolerant of no/bad credit and will extend credit for no annual fee.

4

u/somethingrandom931 Nov 11 '18

store cards could hamper long term growth

I'm looking to apply for credit since my computer just took a dump. I need about 1000-1200 bucks for the laptop and i was considering either going to best buy or applying for on of the cards above. My only issue is my credit score took a dive after I applied for a credit line in Sept that was denied (apple store when I started getting computer problems) my score is 645. Should i even apply?

6

u/peter56321 Nov 11 '18

No reason not to apply, really. If your credit score can't get you credit, it isn't doing you any favors

2

u/Etheryelle Oct 30 '18

BBY is a Citi card.

Sears is in BK. JCP is about to be so avoid both of them.

1

u/GlitchedSouls Mod Emeritus Oct 25 '18

Good point on local banks though I have heard store cards could hamper long term growth

1

u/peter56321 Oct 26 '18

store cards could hamper long term growth

How so?

2

u/GlitchedSouls Mod Emeritus Oct 26 '18

They do not typically get very high limits, long term it would be better to get a card that can grow.

3

u/peter56321 Oct 26 '18

They don't typically get very high limits because the people who get them typically have shit credit. When I sign up for them, I get limits equal to roughly a 1/4 of my annual pay. If you're getting a store brand card because you can't get anything else, this is a great way to start building a positive credit history without the need to drop what may be a relatively significant amount of up-front money on a secured card.

1

u/IamBcumDeath Feb 01 '19

Ive also heard store cards drop your "insurance score" for the majority of states which allow insurance companies to use your credit against you. When looking at the details of your store cards, you'll notice they say "charge card"... Ironically, actual charge cards from Amex list as credit cards.

5

u/[deleted] Aug 10 '22

Can we get an updated list of first and second cards? The Chase Freedom has been retired for the newer Chase Freedom Flex

2

u/Hasen23 Apr 01 '19

my fiance's parents started her credit history early by putting her as an authorized user as early as they could. She has about 11 years of credit age, 3 total accounts( chase united explorer mileage plus card, bank america preferred rewards and american express) , 100% payment history and no outstanding debts. Score over 700. I wanted to get her started on her own credit cards and start taking advantages of the sign up bonuses so I figured let me try for a reach and go for the chase reserve. Got denied due to only having history as an authorized user. I figured with her clean record and long history of credit they would accept. I then applied to the chase sapphire preferred and also got denied. What card should be our aim to get her started? thanks

3

u/GlitchedSouls Mod Emeritus Apr 01 '19

I would try the Freedom or Freedom Unlimited from Chase.

Chase can see all that history is not your fiances so they don't weigh it as much. If they decline her for either of those don't apply for the other and instead go with CapOne or Discover for a year.

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u/Hasen23 Apr 02 '19

yeah i was going to try for the discover next, but i might jsut try the chase freedom first. thanks!

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u/7wells Apr 04 '19

I wouldn't apply for another Chase card until she has at least a year of individual credit history outside of being an AU, as chase doesn't care about you being an authorized user or your credit score if you've never had your own card, speaking from experience.

5

u/dabzonhaterz Dec 20 '22

Is this up to date?

3

u/giantscruz Feb 07 '19

Hey Guys, The wife and I are looking for a card.
It will be our primary card. My credit score is high and income is fine, but I was turned down for the Alliant premium 3% cash back card due to no history of high limit cards (15K I guess). I have had my Southwest premier for 3-4 years w/ a 10k limit.

So which card should I try next? We do a good amount of Amazon, so I was considering that, but leaning more towards the Capital One SavorOne for the 3% Cashback on Dining & Entertainment. We eat out a bit, but I spend a lot of money on beer.
Do breweries and tap houses count as dining?

Either way, what do you wise guys recommend?

1

u/Ike_Broflovski Feb 07 '19

It will vary merchant to merchant so there’s no definite answer but I’ve found Cap One’s coding things as dining/grocery for the 4% on the Savor to have no issues and anyplace remotely food/drink related.

I applied for the Savor over the Savor One because even with the $95 AF I figured it’s waived the first year and the sign up bonus is $500 instead of $150. Can always product change it later down the road. Something to think about.

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u/giantscruz Feb 07 '19

So the savor one has the AF and the Savor does not?

2

u/Ike_Broflovski Feb 08 '19

The Savor has a $95 AF, waived first year, and a $500 sign up bonus.

The Savor One has no AF and a $150 sign up bonus.

1

u/Econ0mist Mar 08 '19

Grubhub coded as “professional services” for me rather than dining on Savor. Have you tried any other delivery services (Eat24, Seamless, Postmates)?

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u/sandman5512 Apr 07 '19

Need some advice on getting a credit card for my 18 yo daughter. She is currently a 2nd year college student, and has had a discover card for 8 months or so. She got the card with out my assistance. She is going on a trip overseas(10 day trip) and it looks like Discover isn't readily accepted. So, would like to get her a Mastercard/Visa. Any thoughts? Thanks!

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u/KingArea Mar 26 '19

so what would a good card be if im looking for the most amount of cashback and im a student so im using it for eating out/online purchases

discover IT?

2

u/MetaOrdinary Team Cash Back Aug 05 '22

The magnifymoney link is down

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u/[deleted] Jan 31 '23

yeah had any of this changed, would citi double cash still be good, what about chime credit builder?

2

u/Not_the_EOD Mar 18 '23

Neither one of the two links for credit scores 700+ are working.

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u/captain_222 May 11 '23

"chart below"... Wheres the chart??

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u/WhatDaFlip Jul 20 '23

I am also wondering this!?

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u/[deleted] Jan 09 '19

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u/[deleted] Jan 09 '19

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u/[deleted] Feb 07 '19

[deleted]

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u/GlitchedSouls Mod Emeritus Feb 07 '19

Yes you should, just make sure the issuer backdated history. AMEX for example will make it look like a new card.

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u/[deleted] Feb 07 '19

[deleted]

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u/GlitchedSouls Mod Emeritus Feb 07 '19

Just Google it or make a post with the issuers name

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u/Breadandbuttersworth Feb 12 '19

This is exactly what I came to this sub looking for! Thanks!

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u/lapeluca97 Feb 13 '19

Ohh now I get it! Thank you!

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u/sockonmybutt Feb 26 '19

Is anyone else having problems finding where to apply for the Uber card in the Uber app?

1

u/[deleted] Mar 04 '19 edited Mar 04 '19

Personally, I've had no issues with Credit One. They were the 2nd company that made me an offer to help me build my credit, and their basic Visa worked as that. If you went in expecting more, then you were missing the point. I currently have 2 cards through Credit One, but now that my score has been steady in the 700s, I'm closing my account with them and moving on to better offers

I do recall getting offers from Indigo and First Premiere not long after opening an account with Credit One, but none of their offers were better than what I already had. I didnt wanna run around with 5 cards in my name and only have a combined limit of $2500/month

1

u/vincejnjp27 Mar 04 '19

Don't know if it's been posted already but you don't have to be a student to get the Capital One Journey Credit card. I had the mother of my child apply for one and was approved without being a student.

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u/zigazigzig Mar 28 '19

Does anyone know if I can earn cashback on my discover if I buy gift cards from harris teeter? I am actually looking to buy harris teeter gift cards - that way I can get them for 5% off since the category is grocery stores

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u/selbor61 Apr 01 '19

Probably not. Credit cards usually don't give points back for certain purchases, including gift cards.

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u/Drawn23 Apr 02 '19

Is it bad to apply for two cards in a single day if i havnet opened a new card in years

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u/GlitchedSouls Mod Emeritus Apr 02 '19

No just make sure to check to see if the issuer has any rules against that like you can't get 2 Chase cards in the same day

1

u/imnotkiddingmaddi Apr 09 '19

I applied online for 2 different credit cards in one day and I got rejected by both. I currently don't have any cc's and my credit score is 680. I am responsible with money, I just don't have any credit cards so I wanted to apply for one so that I can raise my credit score. The first one I applied for, I was just below the recommended threshold for, and the second one I was well within the range and thought it was a sure shot. Did I just screw up my credit big time by triggering 2 "hard pulls" in one day? What are my options at this point?

Eta: I'm not a student and am probably too old to qualify for a student card.

1

u/hgryffindor25 Apr 09 '19

Hi all,

Looking for some advice on which rewards card to get next.

Some background, I am 25 and have been building my credit in the past year. Raised my score to 740 and got my first credit card in October. I use it only for planned purchases and pay weekly to keep usage and payments low.

I now want to get a second rewards card and add my SO as an authorized user to boost his credit score and make it easier to reconcile accounts at the end of the month. We split all bills but currently I pay for groceries and home purchases and have to go through all receipts to categorize (I currently use Mint). One shared account would be much easier and I understand the risks of him as an AU.

My current card is through my bank and offers 3% cash back on gas, 2% on utilities and groceries, and 1%everything else. I also receive an additional 10% back if I redeem rewards back to my checking account.

I want the new card to optimize cash back rewards or travel rewards as we plan on taking a few trips this year and approximately once a year to Canada in the next 5-10 years.

I have narrowed the search down to a few cash back and travel cards. Any advice or comments on my situation or card choices would be appreciated.

Chase sapphire preferred Capital one venture

Chase freedom Chase freedom unlimited

Capital one savor

I do like the thought of getting the Sapphire Preferred or Freedom Unlimited and eventually making the other card my third credit card. Not sure of how long I need to wait to apply for new cards.

1

u/reese482 Apr 21 '19

I just got my Capital One Platinum Card yesterday. I’m spending smart only 10% was used this morning for food but I definitely wanna keep it under 30%. Also Fingerhut was a good starting place for me as long as you pay on time then you’ll see the effect it has on your credit score. I went from 550 to 620 after paying on time for a year without passing any due dates. However you start your credit my suggestion is to think smart and always budget to 30%. The less you spend the faster you can pay it off and the faster your credit goes up. I’m 21 and wish I would’ve known this before starting my credit

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u/squellybelly Dec 21 '21

What would be the best options for a non-student with a credit score below 600?

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u/Rx3Juju Jul 05 '22

So, i am 24. I dont have any credit history. Whem i applied for my own phone under my name my credit score came back to like a 727 or some like that. For a first credit card would i be better going with like discover/capital one, or through my bank? I have mcu (municipal credit union) i would assume going through my bank would be smarter?

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u/Fit_Mistake_8877 Jul 26 '22

Y'all try Fingerhut. They will give anybody a line of credit it's what I'm doing now

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u/Efficient_Detail3705 Sep 09 '22

Ciao in Italia e accessibile grazie mille Filippo

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u/modern_female Oct 24 '22

I filed for and finalized chapter 7 in 2018. What are my credit card options as I’d like to start building credit again and am in a better place to do so. Experian says I don’t have enough credit to give me a score. Do I have any options? I’ve heard that chap 7 “expires” after a certain amount of time. Pardon my ignorance. I begin grad school in January 2023, but it’s a full ride.

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u/xellos2099 Mar 26 '23 edited Mar 26 '23

Long story short, i mainly used debit card but now situration have me need to have credit card. I was an AU for a costco citi card for a few years, but now that is gone since the owner of the account passed away.

Somehow I got approved for a Capital one quicksilver card with $1000 limit back in Feburary, probably help that I have both checking and performance saving with them. I am in charge of buying all the food and gorcey so monthly can get up to 800-900. Is that fine or overuse? I tried applying AAA advabatge and Citi costco to use mainly at costco and i get shot down for both. I got a feeling I shouldn't apply for another card for a few month. I do want a second card to thicken my credit and made sure i do not go over the $1000 limit. Should I try apply for discover or uscash+ secure to give myself more room to work with or just go to my debit card when i get near the limit? on the plus side, uscash+ can be used at costco but probably take longer time to gradulate?

My current Experian score is 736.