Someone will offer you a credit card whether you already have credit or not, and whether your credit is good or bad. Even though all credit card offers seem great, most people are only good for one type. Here's what you should know to figure out which credit card offer is right for you.
Tips on how to decide if you need a credit card
KNOW THYSELF - More importantly, you should know why you want and need a credit card. First, think about what you need. How can a credit card make your life better? Is there a way a credit card can help you get a better handle on your money? Next, think about the good things about using a credit card: what would you like to get out of it?
Lastly, look at yourself and evaluate yourself by asking yourself these questions: Am I ready to be responsible enough to have a credit card? Do I know what I'm really getting into? Can I give myself a promise that I'll pay my credit card bills on time?
KNOW HOW OTHERS THINK OF YOU - In this part, "others" means the banks and creditors you have done business with in the past. If you have bills or loans to pay, that can already be a part of your credit history, which may be why you get credit card offers that you don't really want.
If, on the other hand, you don't have any credit history, this isn't a good thing either, unless you just graduated from college. That makes sense, since you just got out of school and into the real world. If you're an adult, on the other hand, you should at least have a steady source of income. Without it, you can only expect to get a limited number of credit card offers.
KNOW WHERE IT CAN BE USED. Some credit cards can only be used in certain stores or in a certain part of the U.S. If, on the other hand, you get offers for Visa or Mastercard credit cards, you can use them even when you're abroad.
People who travel a lot or plan to use their cards in a lot of different places should get cards with well-known names like Visa or Mastercard. But to get these cards, you have to meet stricter requirements than you would for a credit card with a smaller scope.
KNOW ITS AFFILIATES: Some credit cards give you special interest rates and other perks if you belong to a certain group or company. Make sure you ask the person who offered you the credit card about this. You might even be able to choose a unique design for your credit card if you meet one of their requirements.
Now that you know what kind of credit card offer is right for you, there are only two things left to do:
First, do what you need to do to make sure that the person offering you a credit card is really an employee or agent of the company that issued the card and that he is giving you a real credit card offer.
Second, be ready to put in some time and effort to meet the credit card offer's application requirements if you decide to take it up. You will have to show the credit card company proof of your income and credit history in the form of documents. But after that, you can swipe the card as much as you want.
