Young Adults Building Credit, Choosing Cards
Many young adults are grappling with the complexities of establishing and managing credit. They're often starting later in life, facing challenges like limited credit history, confusion around card types (secured vs. unsecured), and uncertainty about how to responsibly build credit while managing debt and income limitations.
SOURCES (60)
“I'd keep it open and just set up transaction alerts instead, closing it now would ding your average account age and utilization for basically no benefit since it's not costing you anything.”
“It’s an active cash Visa card through my bank with a $1000 limit and 0% APR for the first year. What’s the smartest way to start spending and paying back? submitted by /u/Cultural-Treat8042 [link] [comments]”
“Hello all, my parents added me to their credit card when I was in high school to help me build my credit, that being said, it has been eight years since and I am contemplating removing myself. They always make their payments on time, but I’ve noticed the balance is now always sitting around $25,000-$35,000. Will that high of an amount hurt my own credit score and credit line? I try to keep my own personal card low and the only other debt I have is my car payment. Is it better to just stay as an”
“Don’t stress. My first card was the NFCU Platinum card that offers zero benefits other than being its lowest interest card, BUT, if you pay your statement balance by the due date every month you won’t pay any interest regardless. I used that card a ton and made my payments every month to grow my credit and now have a ton of cards. Since you have access to USAA, you should have access to NFCU. The NFCU CashRewards Plus is great and offers 2% cashback on all purchases. Worth looking into when you”
“Hello! As the title says I’m a college student Ive been debating and researching what credit cards to get. I’m an over thinker so I just need some advice. I do have credit score of 662 and my monthly spending 2k since I get a refund from college and I do work study. I travel and have a horrible shopping habit (im trying to budget) just wanna raise my credit score and get some points towards my awful spending habits lol Every advice is appreciated!! submitted by /u/EGhost0 [link]  ”
“I am 20 years old. Me and my dad were looking into credit cards for me, as I wanted to start building credit. I took his advice, but upon further research… The card that I got is not what I want. I have not yet spent anything on that card, or even activated it yet. Basically, my question is… What should I do? I really want this one card, and I want this stupid account that I have to be closed, but I don’t know how this all will affect my credit. I don’t want any negative impasse, as I have zero”
“do the benefits go away after grad? i graduate in the summer, and then im thinking about my masters. but im not sure yet..”
“LMFAO im sorry. i was just quickly clicking through it. im a senior in college, i graduate next summer. i will probably move home and find a full time job in my field, so i wont have too many expenses, but i want to start building credit properly.”
“Can't go wrong with the C1 Savor/Discover It as others have said, both tend to be very beginner friendly. Who do you bank with? If you already have banking history with a major bank that could potentially also make it easier to get approved for one of their cards. Or if you bank with a Credit Union, they also tend to have solid CCs to start off with.”
“Yeah, the only game in town is Bilt or Atmos for this. Specifically for Bilt you should really just look at their Palladium or Obsidian cards. Blue is decidedly unexciting (imo).”
“I’m a 20 year old who just finished college and I’ve paid my truck loan off and now working on my school loan. But I’m looking at getting a credit card. I got my first real job with good pay and I’m looking to move out on my own. But realized a credit score is actually pretty important to do that I’m wondering what card would be best. I plan on using it for gas and stuff I understand I can pay off I’m pretty big into finances so I understand the risk with a credit card and importance of them. &#”
“Hi. I’ve been considering getting an Amex so I’ve been spending time on their subreddits. I keep reading about Amex decreasing credit limits and conducting financial reviews. I’ve had a few credit cards personally and never encountered (or heard of) a financial review. After some studying I understand why (to mitigate risk, etc). My question is - are other credit card companies conducting financial reviews? Chopping off credit limits abruptly? These practices seem punitive and paternalistic. I’m”
“Hello, I just moved out with my partner and I’m trying to get a credit card that will give me the best benefits. I want to use it for necessary expenses so I can immediately pay it off. My idea is to use it for those things and hopefully can get rewards or benefits from it. Truly have no clue where to start and my parents say that they’re the devil so I have no background of what good one(s) to invest in. Can anyone recommend a few credit card brands, what benefits they offer, and if it is reall”
“Does your card offer a transfer of balance? Usually there is an option for the funds to be deposited into your checking account as cash and you can use that to pay tuition. The fee may be a little higher 4-5% of the total but those transfers usually come with 0% APR for up to a year. Worth having another credit card in general that offers this.”
“Hello everyone, I haven't had a credit card in well over a decade but I know there are perks that I am most likely missing out on. I feel now I have the self-control to actually responsibly use a credit card and my credit is really good. Here is the info breakdown: Current cards: (list cards, limits, opening date) None FICO Score: 752 Oldest account age: my bank account is 5yrs old Chase 5/24 status: ?? Income: 100,000 Average monthly spend and categories: dining $200 groceries: $400 gas: $8”
“Does using the website force you to verify the phone number too? Seems as if all you should have to do is activate the card. Does the card have an annual fee? If not, just leave it alone and open a new card elsewhere.”
“What's the problem? You got a CC with a higher limit than you wanted and kept the $500. That's perfect, AS LONG AS, you pay the "Statement Balance" each month, to avoid high interest!”
“Yeah so I got the savorone capital one credit card for my first ever credit card, I’ve been using it for about a month and paying it right off, I just got my score and it reads 602, I’ve heard this is where you never wanna be, is this a normal score for new credit card users or am i screwed, how do I even begin to build it up more? Do I just keep doing what I’m already doing (spending then paying it off immediately) or what do I do .. submitted by /u/Moist-Raspberry-699 [link]”
“You got the upgrade. People get a secured card because they can’t get approved for a typical credit card due to no credit history. You’re already a step ahead. Make purchases with it, pay it all off each month = credit score ⬆️”
“So I just fucked myself I went online to discover to apply for my very first credit card and I wanted a secured credit card with a with the credit limit of 500. That’s what I was gonna deposit. It showed me what I got approved for and and showed the cards that you could pick and I picked the Discover it cash back card thinking it was the secured card, but it wasn’t apparently and I was given the thousand dollar limit, already have a hard inquiry . Though it’s my first credit card I am informed o”
“I am a new college student, very broke, no credit history, and job searching, ohwever I am worried because my parents have terrible credit scores and countless cards, and terrible debt. I'm asking real people because I want to, I know I can google. submitted by /u/WifeFarmer [link] [comments]”
“So let the statement reflect a high balance then pay it off in full after the statement comes out. Is that correct?”
My current limits are so much lower than what I want on my next card but I’ll start asking for increases and at least work on those. Thank you.
“It’s going to depend (at least partially) on your spend and income plus your score/profile. If you make $5k/year, you’re unlikely to get a card with a $20k limit unless you have a strong credit file. Best thing you can do is likely to spend on your cards and always pay off the statement balance before it’s due. Over time, your limits on those existing cards may increase. After about 6 months of that, request a “CLI” or Credit Line/Limit Increase. You could also look at other cards at that time.”
“Context: I'm 21 and living in the Southern US I make 23/hr and am applying for apts right now I bank with allsouth federal credit union. No credit history. I'm looking for guidance on what cards to apply for and which to avoid. Thank you in advance. submitted by /u/AffectionateBee2840 [link] [comments]”
“Hi everyone, I’m 21 years old and looking to start building my credit responsibly. My current credit score is around 711, and I’m considering getting my first credit card. My main goal is to build a strong credit history, not to carry a balance or spend money I can’t afford. I’m open to a secured or unsecured card, depending on what would be best for my situation, i’m new on this. Thank you submitted by /u/bellaocasio [link] [comments]”
“Hi all I just opened up my first personal card and I use this card to get inventory for my ecommerce business. I was wondering under my income do I put the businesses gross revenue or do I put my net profit from the business? Thanks! submitted by /u/xRaginCajunx [link] [comments]”
“edit: solved! thanks for the help and clarification! My credit card is at $800 and my APR is due to begin the 19th of this month. If I leave my credit card at $800 with an APR of 24.49%, do you know how much interest I would have to pay monthly? Is it 24.49% of $800 monthly? or is it divided by the 12 months? submitted by /u/pigeondisco [link] [comments]”
“I just moved out of my parents house and have to pay rent for the first time (!!) and was wondering if it would be better to pay with credit or debit card? For context I have Chase bank (Freedom Unlimited college account, total credit limit/month is $1700), my rent is $720/month (I have roommates), my credit score is 739, I'm 20 and have had my card for 2 years, and I always make my payments on time. Is it worthwhile to make the rent payments from my credit card (I have enough on there to co”
“Mine started out like that but over time with constant payments it increased. I started with one like that and got it up to around $1,600.00”
“Current cards: 0 cards open. Had a start capital one card but it just got closed due to inactivity and dropped my score by 30pts - 25 year old who uses his debit card for everything and has all of his savings in a AMEX HYSA • FICO Score: 742 • Oldest account age: e.g. 5 years 4 months • Income: e.g. $80,000 • Average monthly spend and categories: • dining $200 • groceries: $700 • gas: $100 • travel: very minimal but will be traveling cross country once per year • other: $100 (gym)”
“According to FICO, it takes 6 months of history with the card to generate your first scores. Seems like you may just need to give it a bit more time: myfico.com/credit-education/faq/scores/fico-score-requirements”
“I’ve been with Discover It for like 5 yrs now and have a good credit score. I love this card, but it’s not a Visa or Mastercard, so I can’t always use it. I’m looking into getting another card for this exact reason, but don’t know which one I should apply for. From what I’ve seen online, I’m considering Chase Freedom Unlimited or Citi Simplicity. Thoughts?? Thank you in advance! Edit: extra details! I only have the Discover It card, it’s been open since like 2021, I have a credit score of ~760,”
“Hey everyone, I’m looking to get my first credit card and have narrowed it down to these four: RBC ION+ Visa Scotiabank Scene+ Visa CIBC Dividend Visa TD Rewards Visa I’m honestly having a hard time deciding which one makes the most sense as a starter card and preferably with no annual fee. I’m mainly looking for something good for everyday spending (groceries, gas, restaurants, etc.) with decent rewards. I’d also prefer a card that’s actually worth keeping long-term rather than just getting it”
“I just turned 18 on the 13th of August, and well I finally got around to setting up a credit card (which I’ve been wanting to do for a while) and well i settled on a capital one card after a few hours of research and tried the pre approval they offer Well anyways they said they can’t offer me any cards at this time I’m making roughly 15-20k a year (I know it’s not a lot) I have no credit history whatsoever (I think that may be why) like no loans, no nothing, unless my parents used my name to som”
“I have been an authorized user on my Mom's capital one credit card for a few years now and got my very first own credit card last October. That credit card had to be secured. My credit score is now in the low 700s and never had a missed payment, etc. I need new tires by winter and Discount Tire offers a credit card with no interest for 9 months, and I rather do that than pay $1,400 all at once. My question is has anyone had the Discount Tire CC and is it worth it or something to be wary of?”
“I have a question about possibly getting a credit card (my first... so obviously I have some learning to go out and do) for what has unexpectedly become my main source of income. I've been doing renovation/handyman stuff, which started as a side gig and is just more profitable than my day job now. I don't even really know *exactly* what it is I do yet, I just keep asking people if they have anything they want done and keep saying "would you like a qoute?" I've never had a c”
“Hello all. Please keep your judgement to yourself, just looking for helpful individuals to give me advice on an upcoming situation. I'm 20 years old and recently graduated from post-secondary. I've got an upcoming financial decision that I need help on. Hopefully this isn't a really dumb question. I've got about 2.5k CC balance coming due in a week. I've got only about 1k in my chequing to contribute to it, and I've got about 10k in my TFSA. (Tax-Free Savings Account for”
“Hi all! Would love to get your thoughts and tips on my current credit card lineup. I’m 27. Discover IT (first CC, opened in college), use occasionally since oldest line of credit Capital One Venture One (product changed from the Venture, didn’t need the $95 annual fee with my Chase cards, might switch to Venture X if travel more when older) Chase Sapphire Preferred (use for Costco, gas, dining, travel, catch all) Chase freedom flex (do the quarterly 5% categories when they work for me) Amex Blue”
So I’m a first year college student, and have an okay job so I’m planning on getting a credit card! I plan on using it on transportation costs (bus and train, about…
“Hi everyone! I’m looking for a good first credit card and have seen that people like Discover It, CapitalOne Quicksilver, Chase Freedom Unlimited, and City Double Cash. What’s your favorite? I’m also looking for somewhere for my savings. Anyone have a recommended savings/checking account? I’ve never had any of anything before. I previously had a savings attached to a parent’s account. Thanks in advance! submitted by /u/Mediocre_River_6112 [link] [comments]”
“i’m about to be 18 soon and i want the right credit card that won’t screw me i tried tiktok they say Discover it, Chase bank and for the long ran American Express i’m very confused on which one to choose submitted by /u/Opening-Error6023 [link] [comments]”
“I have 8 months of credit history, 7 inquiries, and 3 credit cards. My Experian score is 711 and I have a quicksilver, discover it secured card (graduating soon) and a Fidelity visa signature card. Do you think I have any shot at the freedom unlimited or freedom flex? I have no late payments, just had high utilization which I got down. The Fidelity visa signature hasn’t reported on my credit report as I just opened it. It has a $3000 limit, my quicksilver has a $300 limit, and my discover it sec”
“What does this comment even mean? Do you think that people with good credit scores don't find value in credit cards? I don't get your take at all.”
“Hi guys, I have a question about being an authorized user under my dad's credit cards, I used to be an authorized user of my dad's credit cards until I got my first credit card and ever since then I was terminated as AU on his cards but does it benefit me in any way if I continue to be an authorized user under his cards even though I have my own credit cards now? Thanks! submitted by /u/hanson-anims [link] [comments]”
“Credit is approved or denied because of your overall credit profile, not your scores. You could have a perfect 850 score and if you have zero income you aren't getting approved for a card, because it literally means "I have no way of paying my bill."”
“If you have clean credit history with a single card for a year, the door opens to bank cards from just about any issuer out there including all of the big banks.”
“it’s just the one that’s on my banking app Somewhere near the score, it should say what model/version it is. Something like "Experian FICO 8" or "TransUnion Vantagescore 3.0" - that's what you want to look for to figure it out.”
“Likely either Vantage Score 3 or FICO 8. It will say it on your web site or app. Less likely, FICO 8 Bankcard (Citi shows that for me) or some type of Fico 9 (I've seen posts from people getting that).”
“If you've got some cash coming in from somewhere else you might be alright. With a 755 you're not in a bad spot but banks do want to see income on the app.”
“I am unemployed and has a credit score of 755 with average credit history will i be able to get get credit card if I am able which one should I apply. submitted by /u/Helpful_Moment_6550 [link] [comments]”
“So, over the summer I acquired both an American Express Blue Cash Everyday (Standard, not preferred) and a Wells Fargo Active Cash. in a couple years I’d like to obviously apply for more cards but i’m unsure what cards exactly should i get from this point onwards as these two cover most bases. submitted by /u/noo_you [link] [comments]”
“points/cash back and credit score arent really correlated. i like to think of credit card rewards as me earning something by using a credit card versus nothing by using cash or a debit card. even if this amount is only 2-3%, that can add up to hundreds or thousands of dollars in less time than youd think. me personally, ill always take the extra money that i can then use to invest, travel, meet basic needs, etc.”
“!basics will cover most of the basics. Your first card may or may not be a rewards card. That’s ok. I’d say that yes, generally everyone should get a credit card. They offer a variety of pros and the only real cons are if you spend beyond your means. There’s no need real to pay it back weekly unless you’re unable to control your spending. You don’t pay your car payment weekly, do you? Or your electricity? Or your rent/mortgage? It’s a monthly bill. Pay it monthly. Simplify your life.”
“Credit Card Basics: Take a look at the Credit Card Basics wiki page which covers credit card fundamentals. TL;DR: A credit card is a revolving loan. You will receive a "statement" on a monthly basis breaking down your balance, charges, and how much is owed. You should always pay, at minimum, the statement balance before the cutoff time of the due date. The statement date is a minimum of 21 days BEFORE the due date. You are only required to pay for charges that have shown up on your mos”
“i am very young (19) and already have a credit score of 759 due to car payments and such. i’ve never missed a payment and am satisfied with my credit score. i am aware my credit score is high for someone my age, and have been recently seeing stuff about cash back and rewards from using a credit card. i’ve never really been educated on the benefits of a credit card and find it kind of pointless considering the fact that my credit score is already good. i know most people use it like a debit card”
“Hey y’all, I just got the Chime credit builder card and I’m just a bit confused on how it works. You can only use it if you put in money beforehand? Which is cool because there’s no way you can create credit card debt, however I’m just confused on how that would build credit. Can someone explain it to me a little in-depth thank you. submitted by /u/Dry-Negotiation-4556 [link] [comments]”