How can I establish and maintain a good credit score?
david blaine : How can I establish and maintain a good credit score?
I graduated this summer and recently got my first job (boo job market leaving me at home for 5 months) and am now leaving the parent’s house and looking to build some good credit. I’m applying for my first credit card. I’ve only had debit cards from joint accounts with parents up until now. Some people told me to apply for high credit limits but then not use the credit cards to build my credit faster but others told me it doesn’t really matter what credit limit is and how much you use as long as you pay the bills on time. I want to build credit as fast as possible and would like to get some rewards from credit card companies so I’d prefer using credit card but if its better for score to not use as much I don’t mind continuing with debit card. Also, don’t have any student loans etc (hooray for scholarship programs
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Also what kind of card should I look for as a first credit card? I will have annual income of ~$ 55,000-$ 60,000 and plan on paying the bill in full monthly. And will it be a problem that I don’t own a home?
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Good credit score helps getting cheap car insurance
Response : The interest rate and the limit will be determined by your creditworthiness. If this is your first credit card, it is not likely that you will get a high limit or a low interest rate. You probably won’t qualify for much of a rewards card either.
Your lack of credit history will work against you. While you income is good, the job is new — also works against you.
Go to your bank and apply for a card. You have a history with them and they are the most likely to extend credit to you. You may still have to start with a secured card — you pay a deposit which is held as collateral against the line of credit.
In any case, the best way to handle a credit card is to use it or regular purchases, wait for the statement, and pay the balance in full. That will build credit and avoid interest.
A new credit card would have to be used for 6 months before it even begins to count in your FICO score. Even the, it won’t be much of a score. It takes YEARS to build good credit. There are no shortcuts.
However, the key to good credit score is to :
Pay of your bills in time
Never to go for higher limits than what you can afford to pay
Having minimum number of credit cards and maintaining them.
You also need to know that a good credit score is not onl y helpful for getting loans and a good job but will also get you cheap car insurance. General insurance companies check the credit score. Why? To find out if you are responsible. A young driver who is responsible for a good credit score, will definetly be a good and responsible driver on the road and not be involved in unnecessry risk taking accidents.
All the best.
Kamlesh
Teen auto insurance quote