My first credit card..... Which do ya reccomend?

[vi edit]

The Volkswagen or Sony credit cards.

If you are going to charge it, you may as well get something back out of it. DON'T get a credit card that doesn't offer you any perks in return.

 

[kgraeme]

Originally posted by: RossMAN

Hmmn my URL is the same except for CB instead of AC, here's a direct link to the one time use cc's
https://www.accountonline.com/CB/integrity/index.jsp

If we replace CB with AC we get:
https://www.accountonline.com/AC/integrity/index.jsp

Does that URL work?

Nope. It redirects to:
https://www.accountonline.com/AC/AccountInfo.jsp
which is just a login to the standard member's site.

 

[Ameesh]

i think all these people saying not to get a CC are either financially irresponsible or dont know how to secure their financial future or both. You would have an extremely hard a car loan or a home loan if the bank saw that you dont have any credit.

 

[GT1999]

I don't know a whole lot about credit cards.. I just signed up for a CapitalOne college student card. They gave me a $1000 limit and this is my first card. I buy all kinds of stuff with it, but I pay it off almost the second after I buy it electronically through their website from my checking acct. I do it this way because I like the security of a credit card if I'm going to purchase something and don't get what I purchased. I got screwed when I purchased a dedicated server rental for a month and didn't get what I wanted (purchased over debit card AS a credit card as a VISA). My bank wouldn't allow me to stop the transfer to the company so I was out a good sum of money. For that reason and because I want to establish credit I'm glad I got my card. I never buy something unless I have the money for it, though. Never.

 

[wiredspider]

I've probably have had more credit cards before I'm 18 then I will ever have in my lifetime. I can't count the number of different credit cards I've had in the pass 2 or 3 years, of course they weren't really credit cards more of prepaid credit cards. How do you build credit? Do you buy stuff and pay it off? Would I be able to build more credit by doing one or two big purchases a year or more smaller charges monthly? Would I build credit if I bought a candy bar every month and paid it off on time every month?

 

[Danman]

Originally posted by: notfred
credit cards are EVIL!!!!

about $9000 left to go....

:Q :Q :Q

 

[tigerbait]

my first and only credit card is AMEX Blue. I use it for everything, and for that 1% of stuff that doesnt take AMEX, I just use my debit card. And I pay off my balance every month. I just like using it for all its features... sad to see BVG gone though

 

[StattlichPassat]

I've got a VISA Platinum that earns me Southwest Airlines miles- it does the job.

 

[silverpig]

I have a community visa through my credit union. I like it. I just gotta get my limit upped a bit.


MBNA is evil. I have a mastercard from them, but I have NO idea how I got it. One day I got a call that went like this:

Me: Hello.

MBNA: Hi, is this George?
Me: Yes it is.

MBNA: Is this your social insurance number?
*pause*
Me: Uh, yeah...

MBNA: Is this your address?
Me: Yeah...

MBNA: Is this your bank?
Me: *holy sh!t who is this person???* Um, yes.

MBNA: And you are a student at UBC?
Me: Uh, yeah.

MBNA: Congratulations! You are approved for your MBNA Mastercard. It will be arriving in the mail in a few days.
Me: Um, okay... *wtf was that???*

I still haven't figured out how they got all that info on me. I was probably drunk at school one day and signed up for it, but still...

 

[StattlichPassat]

Im 21 and I finally have a full time job, so i thought now would be as good of a time as any. Im not getting the card so i can get myself in debt (haha, kind of ironic). I want to start building credit because all my my current credit cards are in my dads name with only my name on the card, not the account.

I'm in the exact same situation, minus the full-time job.

 

[gwlam12]

get a free checking account at washington mutual and get a debit card. then hook that up to a student visa credit card.

 

[aphex]

Originally posted by: gwlam12
get a free checking account at washington mutual and get a debit card. then hook that up to a student visa credit card.

i already have a checking acct and debit card.

 

[Aquaman]

Just remember.......... don't spend what you don't have and you will be fine

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: wiredspider
How do you build credit? Do you buy stuff and pay it off? Would I be able to build more credit by doing one or two big purchases a year or more smaller charges monthly? Would I build credit if I bought a candy bar every month and paid it off on time every month?

Yes that's basically it. I would start out small with a $500 - $1,000 credit card, don't go overboard. If qualify for a regular VISA or MasterCard credit card (not a high risk one which charges you 29% APR, $39 annual fee, $29 application processing fee, $19 expedite fee, etc.) then make sure it has no annual fee and comes with PERKS! Charge everything to your credit card, car insurance, phone bill, cell phone bill, gas, food, restaurants, shopping, computer stuff, clothes, entertainment, electricity bill, etc. Pay it off in full every month so you don't have to pay any interest charges. This should show that you have credit, are using it and most importantly are responsible in making your payments on time - raising your credit profile. Good credit takes time, it doesn't happen overnight.

aphexII - Still looking at an Amex Blue? What about co-signing with your father as the primary applicant?

I have a friend who just turned 18 and obviously has no credit. They applied for a CitiBank VISA was declined, applied for an Amex Blue and was also declined. They also have a checking and savings with Bank of America, followed my advice and bling bling got approved

 

[dirtboy]

I don't think the card matters much, as long as you aren't paying an annual fee.

 

[randomlinh]

rossman, you get to pay yur phone bill w/ your card? i don't think we have that option.. i should look into that.

anyway, perks i think should be a secondary condition (reward-wise). at least, that's what i've found. It takes so long to gain (mainly cause i don't spend all that much). The only way I got all my sony points is because i charged everything my *parents* were buying 6 months, and i had to blow my sony points since my head unit died and i needed a cheap replacement.

anyway, the one feature i REALLY like is one time use numbers. It's a shame my new fleet doesn't have this. I have a GREAT rate from them (relatively). Another thing to look for I think is a good online site. Being able to pay my card online has been GREAT. I haven't been late because of that. 3 days is usually the max time it takes to post.

And screw capital one. I've had a $400 credit limit for 2yrs (increased from 300 after a year). I had called before to get declined an increase. Maybe i'd get one now, i did get my new fleet. But my friends card got switched to one that had an annual fee (still cap one here), he had to keep calling to get the charge removed and his account switched back. Needless to say, he's dropped the card (he already has a student amex blue). But the benefit here is they will usually approve applications for their student card, but a very lousy limit.

For me:
Citibank Platinum Select : 9.9% 6 mon intro, 14.xx after
Citibank Sony : same as above
Capone: 19.xx (i decided to keep this one only for use w/ paypal since it won't accept my virtual numbers)
fleet: 0% till march, 8.99 after
discover: 17.xx

Just a reference point. all are variable rates tho, but for now, i'll accept it until i can further build my credit.
My suggestion would be get a citibank card. the virtual account number is great (also have a web based one, so you can use it almost anywhere). Even tho student rates aren't that good, gotta start somewhere. and citibank's rates aren't that bad, it's better than 24%

kgraeme, have you tried [L=]http://www.citicards.com[/L] and see where that leads you?

Linh

btw, just curious, what companies would you be avoiding from your work experience?

 

[StageLeft]

Credit cards aren't evil; uninhibited spending habits are.

I second MBNA. THey are massive and I've been happy with mine. I moved to the country a year ago, got a card 8 months ago with a $2500 limit and every 4 months since they've raised the limit $300 and $500 dollars respectively.

 

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: lnguyen
rossman, you get to pay yur phone bill w/ your card? i don't think we have that option.. i should look into that.

btw, just curious, what companies would you be avoiding from your work experience?

Yep, QWEST residential phone customers can pay their bill online with a credit card, the same goes for my VoiceStream Wireless cell phone bill, electricity, DirecTV satellite, water bill, I think the only two bills I cannot pay with a cc are my Honda car payment and garbage bill. I have an Alaska Airlines (BofA) credit card and rack up at least 1,000 miles a month just from grocery shopping, paying bills, etc.

I would avoid Sears, Montgomer Ward, Chase and Capital One for various reasons.

 

[TNTrulez]

Wow my first card I got at 18 (now) was 9.9% APR. Was suprised. . . but I always pay them off so it doesn't matter.