How to get a Credit Card with a Bad Credit Rating

A credit card can be a really useful thing for us to have. It can be a very convenient way to pay for things adds security and so is particularly useful when using online and can even be used abroad. This means that it is something which many people would like to have, but they are not available for everyone. If you have a poor credit rating then it is likely that you will not be able to have one though and so you may have to try a few techniques to increase your chances of getting one.

Use your partners

Firstly it can be worth seeing if your partner (if you have one) can get one. If they can get one then they could have a secondary card holder and that could be you. Then you will be able to use a card. This will only work though if they trust you with money and they are happy to be responsible for the card repayments. If you have joint accounts then this is unlikely to be a problem though. Do think it through though as you do not want to have arguments about money based on having a card.

Improve credit rating

This may not be possible for everyone though and so you may need to think of other ways that you can get a credit card. It could be worth looking at your credit rating to find out why you are being turned down. There are places where you can access it for free and it will show details of things that are registered in your name including responsibilities for bills or ongoing payments such as direct debits as well as any debt that you have or had in the past. Make sure that all of the information is correct as any mistakes could make your credit report look worse than it should be. You may find that you will be able to find out your likelihood of being able to get a loan and what might be holding you back. It could be that your salary is not high enough, you have too many other debts or whatever. It is worth noting though that different lenders use different criteria for judging you and so something that may seem unattractive to some may actually be seen as a positive to another.

Apply to your current bank

You may find that you will have more luck if you apply to the bank that you normally bank with. They will be able to see what you are normally like and may help you because you are already a customer with them. If you have a branch locally it might be better to go and discuss it with the staff in there, they may be able to tell you whether it is worth applying or not. It might be that you will only be able to have a very small credit limit to start with. However, these tend to be reviewed every year and so if you are careful with the card and pay off the amount owed in full each month, then you are more likely to have your credit limit extended.

Research companies

There may be some credit card companies that are more likely to take on those with less good credit records compared with others. If you do some research online you may be able to find out who these may be and this could enable you to have a better chance of being accepted when you apply.

Apply to one at a time

It can be tempting to just apply to lots of lenders who offer bad credit payday loans at once and see who offers you a card. This certainly seems like a good idea but sadly it reflects badly on you. If you credit report shows that you have been applying for lots, then it will look like you are desperate for money and this will reflect badly on you and make it less likely that you will get accepted. Therefore it is much better to research first and only apply to those that are likely to accept you. If you do get declined then try another one. Do not try lots at once, even though it might seem that you will get a card more quickly. Even if you do get one this way it could result in you being less likely to get credit in the future.