*By making on time payments and keeping your balance under the limit, you may be able to improve your credit score
How can a credit card help rebuild credit?
A credit card which reports your timely payments to a major credit bureau will show potential loan lenders and card issuers your ability to make good on your financial obligations. Not only will a good credit report assist you in obtaining loans or other credit cards, it can also be a huge factor on the interest rates lenders and issuers may grant you.
Get a credit card to rebuild credit. If you have very very bad credit; such as recovering from bankruptcy, you may have a difficult time obtaining an unsecured credit card. But even a secured card can help rebuild credit.
Tips for credit rebuilding with a secured credit card:
Don't use all of your available credit. Maxing out your credit cards hurts your credit score.
You don't want to charge more than 30% or so of your credit limit, and you want to pay the balance off in full each month. Light, regular use of a credit card is what helps build your credit.
And contrary to what you might have heard, you typically don't need to carry a balance or pay credit card interest to build your score, since the leading credit scoring formula doesn't distinguish between balances that are paid off and balances that are carried month to month. Get in the habit now of not charging more than you can pay off every month; your credit score and your finances will be the better for it.
What to look for when choosing a secured card:
No application fee and low annual fee. Some secured cards charge huge upfront and annual fees. Fees don't help you rebuild credit.
Reports to the major credit bureaus. You're not doing your credit score any good unless your payment history is being reported to the three major bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Call and ask if the card issuer regularly reports to all three before you apply.
Converts to an unsecured card after 12-18 months of timely payments. Good behavior should get you upgraded to a regular credit card within a year or two.
Apply online for an easy approval credit card. There are credit cards designed for people who have troubled credit and desire to improve credit scores. Although these card issuers may not offer a high credit limit, they nonetheless do offer an unsecured line of credit which can be used like any standard credit card. You can book flights, make airline reservations, purchase from retail stores, etc.
In addition to standard cards, it's possible to get approved for a gold unsecured credit card branded by major credit card issuers such as Visa and Mastercard. They have cards that can help you rebuild credit by reporting your timely payments to the major credit bureaus.
Search our free credit help resources and apply for financial services. The credit crisis may have prompted stricter credit card company and loan lender approval standards, but poor credit people can still find bad credit financing.
Search other credit card offers to rebuild credit.
