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If you have never had a credit card or loan, you won’t have any credit history. You could have a high income and be the most dependable person ever, but you can’t prove it without a credit score. There are credit cards designed specifically for people who have limited or no credit history.
Some of your choices include:
- A student card. These cards often have low credit limits and are specially designed for young people learning about the world of credit for the first time.
- A card for new Americans. There are credit cards – rewards cards, even – meant just for people new to the country who need to establish a credit history.
- A no-frills card. Go for a simple, no-fee, no-rewards card that offers low initial credit limits and is perfect for beginning to build your credit history.
- A secured card. Secured credit cards require a deposit and have more fees than other cards, but if you are turned down for the other types of cards a secured card that reports to all three major credit bureaus may be the right option for you.
Keep in mind that some of these types of cards have lower credit limits, higher APRs, or different fees than other cards – but not all of them do.Read the terms and conditions to find one that works best for you.
Once you’ve begun to establish a credit history, more types of cards will be available to you, including better rewards cards and 0% APR cards.