Monday, March 3, 2008

Is There Such a Thing as a Bad Credit Gas Card?

Is There Such a Thing as a Bad Credit Gas Card?
It used to be that a bad credit gas card was the easiest
type of credit card to get. Nowadays, however, it seems
that only those with near-perfect credit qualify for the
best gas cards on the market. What's happened to gas cards
for those with imperfect credit histories? Are gas cards
for people with bad credit still out there? The answers may
surprise you.

More Restrictions

Gas cards are definitely harder to get nowadays and the bad
credit gas card may very well become a thing of the past.
Why? Believe it or not, gas prices and the economy have a
lot to do with it.

When gas prices started to skyrocket, people who couldn't
afford gas started putting it on their gas credit cards.
The problem is, when the bills came in they had no way of
paying them. Eventually, the gas card companies started
taking some big hits. Because of this, they began changing
their credit requirements for new account holders.

Some Things Change, Others Don't

The funny thing is that while many gas credit card
companies changed the way they approve credit applications,
they didn't lower their interest rates. Some gas cards
charge ridiculous interest rates even though they're now
only issuing cards to people with good credit.

A Dying Breed?

So is there a single bad credit gas card left? In all
honesty, you're probably better getting a general bad
credit credit card. It's easier to qualify for some of the
major credit cards than it is for some of the gas cards.

You might also want to consider pre-paid gas cards or
secured gas cards. These will allow you to pay at the pump
and some even offer rewards similar to unsecured gas credit
cards. Personally, I recommend a secured card over a
pre-paid as a secured card can help you rebuild your credit
while a pre-paid gas card cannot.

Your bad credit gas card can be a stepping stone to bigger
and better cards, but it can also hurt you in the long run
if you charge more than you can afford. Your credit can get
better and you'll qualify for more cards in the future if
you mange your payments wisely. Just because the credit is
available to you doesn't mean you should use it. Like all
other credit cards, only use your gas card to charge what
you can afford.

Just remember, if you do obtain a bad credit gas card make
sure you pay the bills on time each and every month for a
brighter credit future.


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For more tips on bad credit credit cards, saving money and
avoiding getting taken, check out the bad credit credit
card section at CreditCardTipsEtc.com, a website that
specializes in providing credit card tips, advice and
resources.
http://www.creditcardtipsetc.com/bad_credit_credit_cards

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