Can You Really Get Credit Cards With Bad Credit?

Can You Really Get Credit Cards With Bad Credit?
If you're one of the consumers wondering whether or not you
can really get credit cards with bad credit, you're not
alone. Millions of people have had credit problems and the
fact of the matter is that the people with credit blemishes
outnumber those with perfect credit scores. The trick is in
finding the credit cards that will treat you with the
respect you deserve. Here are three things to look for.

1. The Fees

If you've got a tarnished credit history, it's not the end
of the world. It is possible to get credit cards with bad
credit. The problem is that there are good, bad and
downright ugly credit card companies out there and you've
got to learn how to tell one from the other.

When looking at a bad credit credit card, you need to look
at the fees and charges before you look at anything else.
Some credit card companies are honest and ethical. Others
are not and they will nickel and dime you to death if you
let them.

Some credit card companies charge those with credit
challenges a modest annual fee ($60 or less) while others
charge annual fees in addition to ridiculous processing
fees, application fees and enrollment fees. Before you know
it, you've paid $250 in fees for a credit card with a $300
credit limit. Your fees have almost maxed out your credit
limit and the card isn't even in your wallet yet!

If you want to make sure you're getting a good credit card,
make sure the fees are reasonable -- no matter how bad your
credit is.

2. The Terms

I've seen credit card offers for people with bad credit
with interest rates as low as 9.99 percent. The problem is,
these fees aren't fixed rates. It's a "teaser" rate that
jumps up to 20 or 30 percent when the "intro period" is
over. Oftentimes people who need credit cards with bad
credit care apt to jump at this type of deal. That's a big
mistake.

If you don't want to find yourself paying two or three
times as much interest as you intended to, make sure the
credit card you're applying for has a fixed rate -- not an
intro rate. If you have damaged credit, you're going to
have to pay a higher rate. If a rate sounds too good to be
true, it probably is.

3. The Type of Card

Now this should go without saying, but it's probably a good
idea to mention it anyway -- a prepaid credit card is not
really a credit card. It's a gift card with a credit card
logo on it.

If you want a credit card to rebuild your credit rating, a
prepaid credit card isn't going to do it. They don't report
your account activity to the credit bureaus and it's not
going to do your credit any good. You need either a
traditional unsecured credit card or a secured card -- not
a prepaid card.

So if your question is whether or not you qualify for a
credit card, the answer is most likely yes. The real
question is, which of the credit cards should you go for
and which should you avoid? These three tips will help you
find the available credit cards with bad credit while
avoiding the common pitfalls of this segment of the credit
card industry

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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