Credit Cards for Fair Credit

How can I build my credit with a fair credit credit card? To build your credit effectively with any type of credit card, you must pay your bill on time every month and avoid using your full allotment of credit. If you do this with your fair credit credit card, you’ll be reported to the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion) as having an open line of credit that is in good standing, and your credit file will continually fill up with positive information, lowering the importance of any negative information contained therein. If you don’t believe you can do this, simply open your card and lock it away in a drawer without making any purchases. Your issuer will still report positive information about you to the credit bureaus, given that you are technically being responsible with credit.

How long until I can upgrade from a credit card for fair credit? Credit building is a process, and it’s easy to get frustrated, especially if your credit used to be above average. However, you shouldn’t worry if your current financial position allows you to comfortably make on-time payments on all your debt obligations and you are progressively applying and getting approved for better credit cards. It usually takes a minimum of three years of paying your bill on time and staying below your credit limits before you can reach good credit, so stay focused and you will soon see the fruits of your labor.

How high are the limits for fair credit credit cards? In short, they are low--usually somewhere between $300 and $2,000. People with fair credit lack the track record of responsible credit use for the past 3+ years that is usually needed to make credit card companies feel comfortable extending them higher credit lines. If you need a high credit limit, we suggest opening a secured credit card since the security deposit you place acts as your credit line and can be increased whenever you want (usually up to a credit line of $5,000).