Get Your Credit Card

Do you know what you need to get your credit card?

Do you need a job? What information is needed? Do you have to have good credit?

Before you sit down and apply to get your credit card, gather the information that you will need, and your chance of getting approved to get the card you want will be greatly increased.

Before you even begin, though…do you know what your credit score is? Do you have anything on your credit report that might keep you from being approved? Have you had any big changes in your life the past couple of years? Gotten a divorce? Changed jobs? Moved? Filed bankruptcy? Bought a car? Bought a home? If so, there’s an excellent chance that your credit score has changed, and if you don’t have a credit monitoring service, you might not be happy with the changes to your credit report!

If you don’t already have access to your credit score and your credit report, we recommend signing up for a service, like GoFreeCredit 3-in-1. GoFreeCredit 3-in-1 offers you a 7 day trial period that’s absolutely free, and you can get your credit score and your credit report from all three major credit bureaus. Your score and your credit report will vary by a few points, depending upon what information about your personal finances has been shared with each credit bureau.

Once you know exactly what your credit report says, it will be much easier to find the credit card offers that fit your financial status, and much easier to get approved so that you can get your credit card.   First, compare different credit card offers, and only apply to the ones that offer you the best APR, the lowest (or no) annual fees, and/or the best rewards. (If you haven’t already selected the offers that best fit your financial needs, consider visiting this portion of the website now:  Credit Card Types

Once you’ve reviewed your credit report and chosen the credit card that you believe fits you best, gather the information that you need to complete the online application and get your credit card.   This information includes:

  • Full Legal Name – If you have recently married, divorced, and/or changed your legal name, the application may ask for both your current and previous legal names.
  • Permanent Address – If you’ve moved in the past year to two years, or if you’re occupying a temporary residence, such as a dorm, working out of town, etc., be sure that you provide your permanent address, and not your temporary address. You may also need to provide previous addresses for several years, so have that information available as well.
  • Home, Mobile, and Work Telephone Numbers – I do not know of a single credit card provider that will not ask for your home, cell and work numbers. Some may even ask for the name, address and telephone number of your nearest relative. These numbers are vital to them, because, in the event that you cannot pay your bill, they will use every bit of information that they have on hand to find you and collect payment.
  • Employment status – You may not have a conventional job, but you can still be approved for a credit card. Credit card providers typically consider all types of income when approving or denying credit. So, in addition to name, address, telephone, etc., for your current employer, if any, make sure that you have the true, accurate amount of monthly and/or annual income for your household available when you apply for a credit card. Note: If you are unemployed, disabled, divorced and collecting alimony, etc., don’t falsify your application. Put down your true income amounts, and let the credit card provider set your credit limit accordingly. You’ll be far less likely to be denied credit if you are honest.
  • College students – If you are a college student, in addition to your current employment status, be prepared to provide your current enrollment information, including the school you’re attending, your status as a student, and certain other pertinent information. Note: Depending upon your age, you may be asked for a co-signer on your credit card. This means that your parent and/or guardian will be responsible for paying your bill in the event that you do not make your payments.
  • Other Authorized Users – You may wish to have your spouse, domestic partner, child, and/or other relative authorized to carry his or her own card. If so, keep in mind that that you will be held personally responsible for all charges to your account, including those made by authorized users named by you.
  • Date of Birth and Social Security Number – You must provide your date of birth and your social security number in order to be considered for any credit card, and this information will be used to check your credit score and verify your credit history.

That is normally all of the information that you will need to provide to get your credit card. Certain credit card providers may give you instant approval once you submit your online application.

In some cases, the credit card provider may ask for additional information and/or choose to verify your employment status, income, marital status, etc., in order to determine if you qualify. If you do receive notification when you complete your online application, be patient while they process your application. Chances are, they are simply verifying your information, and you will open your mail box in about two weeks and find that you have been issued the credit card that you apply for today.