Best Credit Card for People with Bad Credit

So your credit is less than perfect and you're looking for a credit card. Unfortunately, there are fewer options available today than in the past. Even with fewer options available today than in the recent past, you should not get discouraged. There remain some excellent choices that will help you get back on the path to credit righteousness.

As I see it, there are three options for people with bad credit; (i.) an unsecured credit card with a low credit limit; (ii.) a secured credit card; and (iii.) a pre-paid credit card. Let's examine the first option.

(i.) Unsecured Credit Card with a Low Credit Limit: An unsecured credit card with a low credit limit is a credit card that does not require a security deposit of any kind. Some have very low credit limits such as $300 to $500 depending on the credit card company. These credit limits are set low in order to minimize a potential loss by the credit card company should a card holder default on the debt. An understandable downside to these types of credit cards is that they tend to carry more fees than their good credit counterparts. This is because in the bad credit credit card market, there is a greater risk that the credit card company will lose money so greater fees are charged up front in order to further minimize any potential losses. Unsecured credit cards also give you fraud protection against unauthorized charges.

The best credit card for people with bad credit in this area may be the Orchard Bank credit card. They offer a $500 credit limit with reasonable fees and interest rates. With this card you can build or rebuild your credit with on-time payments and eventually move into a credit card for people with good credit.

(ii.) Secured Credit Cards: A secured credit card is a credit card that requires the cardholder open some type of savings deposit account in order to secure the amount of the credit limit offered by the card. For example if you wanted a credit limit of $500 you would be required to deposit $500 in a savings deposit account at the bank issuing the credit card. You would then be required to assign interests in this account to the bank in the event that you default on the credit card. If you were to fail to pay the secured credit card, the bank would simply deduct that amount plus any fees from your account. The bank would likely close your account and discontinue any credit privileges.

A secured credit card is a good option because it will allow you build or rebuild your credit the same way you would with an unsecured credit card. One of the best secured credit cards is also issued by Orchard Bank. Secured credit cards also give you some fraud protection against unauthorized charges.

(iii.) Prepaid credit cards: Prepaid credit cards are credit cards that require you to pay the amount of your credit limit in full prior to using the card. This is sort of a last resort option because pre paid credit cards generally do not assist you in building or rebuilding credit. Options such as prepaid credit cards will only provide you with the ability to pay for items or services as you would with a credit card. Other options such as secured credit cards and unsecured credit cards will allow you to build and/or repair your credit in the process. Prepaid credit cards do not offer the fraud protection that most unsecured credit cards and secured credit cards offer.

It is important to note: In general, to build or rebuild your credit you will need a credit card that reports to the credit reporting agencies. There are three major credit reporting bureaus that record your credit history. They are Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Wile unsecured and secured credit cards general report to all three credit bureaus, pre-paid credit cards generally do not.



For more information regarding bad credit credit cards visit FirstCredit.net. You can compare the best credit cards and apply online for the card that works best for you.