A secured card is a credit card that requires you to deposit a certain amount of money into a savings account, money market account, or certificate of deposit. The minimum amount usually ranges between $200 and $500 but this will vary from one company to another. Your deposit is considered your security and some card issuers will even allow the deposit to earn interest.
The amount that you deposit into the account is your credit limit. You should understand that sometimes the limit will be for the full amount that you put into the account but with some companies your limit may be a percentage of the total amount that you deposited.
A secured credit card is not a debit card. This is important to understand because if full payments are not made each month, interest will be charged on the outstanding balance.
Who should consider using secured credit cards?
If you have no credit history at all, using a secured credit card can be a good way to begin establishing your credit. Many young people who are just starting out may choose this as an option.
If you have bad credit, you may wish to use a secured credit card to help you improve your credit score. In addition, a secured credit card may be the only source you will have for obtaining a credit card. There are some transactions that require the use of a credit card. This might include car rentals or hotel reservations. If you need to make those types of transactions and cannot get an unsecured credit card, this might be the only way you can get a true credit card.
What to look for in a secured credit card:
Interest Rate: Do not be fooled into thinking that because you have no credit history or a bad credit report that you have to settle for exorbitant interest rates. Make it a point to shop around for the lowest rates that you qualify for before you apply for a secured credit card.
Fees: Pay close attention to any fees that will be charged to you or to your account once it is opened. There are some companies that will charge ridiculously high fees that will reduce your initial deposit before you even use the card. Stay away from those companies. Look for companies that have no fees whatsoever or for those companies that charge a small one-time fee to set up the account. Annual fees for attractive secured cards typically range from $20-$35.
Scams: It is sad to say that there are companies out there who are in the business of ripping people off. They prey on the vulnerability of those who may be in a credit crunch. Some of the things they do include promises of getting you "quick credit" for a price. Another popular scam is to ask you to call a 900 phone number for "secrets" to getting a credit card or credit repair. Your phone company will charge you a high rate for using a 900 number and you never get the information that was offered.
The best advice to avoid secured credit card scams is that if it sounds too good to be true it is. Use your common sense and do not be taken by these crooks.
Credit Improvement Issues: Even with a very good payment history on your secured card it can takes many months before you begin to see improvement in your credit record. You have to be patient when repairing bad credit. You also have to be smart. Make sure that the company that issues the secured credit card to you will report your good payment history to the three big credit reporting agencies. Not all companies report and if they do not report you are simply wasting your time.
Keep in mind that they will also report your bad payment history if you do not pay on time. Be careful and make your payments on time each and every month.
How To Pay By Credit Card
Using a credit card wisely is an important step in building a great credit rating. If you're trying to re-build your credit or if you're young and just starting out, pay close attention the next time you receive a new card offer in the mail or online. When you're trying to build a positive credit history for yourself, using the right credit card makes sense. Making small purchases and then making your payments on time each month is a simple, reliable way to build an outstanding credit report.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR ON A CREDIT CARD APPLICATION
If you receive a credit card application that appears to offer a low monthly interest rate, don't make a decision until you turn it over and closely examine the Disclosure Box. In it you'll find a more important measure of credit terms - the Annual Percentage Rate, or APR. By federal law, the Disclosure Box will also tell you whether or not the card has what is called a grace period - a number of days, usually 25, until your purchase starts to accrue finance charges. If a card has a reasonable grace period and you pay off your balance at the end of each billing cycle, you won't have to pay finance charges. It isn't difficult to find credit cards that offer these grace periods, so if the Disclosure Box doesn't declare one then throw the application in the trash and look for a better offer.
If you don't have any credit history at all, a credit card company won't want to give you a very high credit limit, but that's probably best when you're just starting out. You don't want to be tempted to go into serious debt with your very first credit card.
HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR MONTHLY FINANCE CHARGES
Ideally you want to pay off your balance each month to avoid paying any finance charges, but when that isn't possible it's important to know the actual cost of the items you purchase. The annual percentage rate, divided by 12 months, gives you the periodic rate that will be applied to your outstanding balance each month. You can estimate what your monthly finance charge will be by multiplying the periodic rate times the outstanding balance. It may sound complicated at first, but taking the time to learn this simple equation can make a big difference in how you use your credit card.
When you're able to see how much you actually spend on an item that you don't pay off at the end of the month, it might help you to resist the temptation to over-use your card. An item that you want to buy might be on sale at the time you purchase it, but if you don't pay off your balance at the end of the month then those finance charges can dramatically increase the actual amount you'll end up paying.
USE YOUR CREDIT CARD AS THE STRONG FINANCIAL TOOL
Credit cards are only one of the tools available to help you build a positive credit history. Making on-time payments for other forms of credit, such as rent and utilities, are also important. Depending on your situation, within 1-2 years your credit rating will be improved enough that you no longer need to use your card for new purchases to maintain your good credit. Use these tools wisely, and they'll help build your financial future like no other!
Both Peter Kenny & Alain Diza are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Peter Kenny has sinced written about articles on various topics from Credit Cards, Finances and Best Money Market. Peter Kenny is a writer for The Thrifty Scot, please visit us at and. Peter Kenny's top article generates over 368000 views. to your Favourites.
Alain Diza has sinced written about articles on various topics from Credit Cards, Apply for Credit Card. . Alain Diza's top article generates over 1300 views. to your Favourites.
