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)
“If it is an AmEx personal card, it will still affect metrics like your Average Age of Accounts and Age of Youngest Revolving Account. However, AmEx business credit cards in good standing do not report to personal credit bureaus, so they won’t have those same…”
Thanks for the suggestions that was lots of good things to think about.
“Yes, it will affect your CS when the new account hits the report. It may just be a small drop, though.”
“for credit unions they usually care more about recent stuff and patterns, not one dumb thing at 17 for lipstick or whatever if everything since then is clean you can always be upfront if they ask but yeah sucks how picky jobs are now”
“will your college even allow you to pay with a credit card? Are you even going to qualify $15k 0% credit card offer as a student (which generally means little to no income)? private student loans are a thing, and probably what you should be focusing on.”
“Many credit card issuers get cranky about it given they (usually) paid a sign-up bonus to get you to open the account.”
“Good setup. Consider adding WF Autograph if you want to add no AF or FTF travel card.”
“Impact of AU on credit score is more glorified than it's usefulness. It should not matter much, unless she doesn't have her own other cards.”
“Enter zero for rent, and your actual income on application. Card issuers may check your income through The Work Number.”
“Since you do not have credit history yet try for a secured credit card from Cap1 or a local credit union. You will have a better chance of approval with this. After several months of full payments after statement generates but before due date, they will refund your deposit and may increase your limit.”
“Fidelity is such a great card to have, especially early on. Just make absolutely sure to pay it off in full every month. There is no CC rewards system on earth that out-earns a credit card interest rate... so never pay interest ever.”
“Join a Credit Union instead of a regular bank, STAY AWAY from credit cards until you have a steady income and minimal debt as credit cards are preditory on college students and they will have you in Huge trouble fast.”
“Biggest thing for any new person with a credit card I like to tell them is to just pretend it’s a debit card. It’s not your money, it’s the bank’s. Don’t spend more than you normally would just because you could charge more to the card. Set up auto pay, and have it pay the statement balance automatically every month. If you do that, you’ll never miss a payment, never have to pay interest, and you’ll keep yourself out of debt.”
“So... little backstory: Several years ago had to close all my credit cards (on good terms) due to poor financial situation. I had plan to go on a international trip. I remember at check-in at hotels they usually ask me for a credit card. Just as a precaution etc. Even if the hotel room is paid for in advance. They don't charge it. For that reason I felt I should get a secured credit card. With little research I went with OpenSky. At the time it was pretty much the only recommended card I cou”
“Hello, I am 18 year old 2nd year college student, and I am looking for a credit card. I have never been an AU on any account. I bank my checking with Wells Fargo, and have other savings/retirement in Wealthfront and Fidelity. I shop a lot at Costco for gas and for food, and therefore I would like to get a good VISA card. I am wondering what cards I should get where you think I have a very high chance of getting accepted, or what I could do to get accepted. Here are the cards I was looking at. Ch”
“Hi everyone, I'm applying to the BoFA Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students and came across the question asking for my monthly rent/mortgage payment question. I plan to live on campus for my freshman year, do I list that cost into this question? I am getting help paying for room and board from my parents, scholarships, and financial aid. My permanent address I have listed is my parent's house as that is the address listed as my mailing address so my mail does not get lost. I c”
“I am 18 going into sophomore year of college and currently have a Cap1 Savor rewards card (opened jan 2026) with 3k credit limit. FICO score is 748 with oldest account age 11 months. I’m looking for my second card now and was wondering if anyone could help me choose between these 3 or give other recommendations. I am a full time student but also have a part time job and could make 15-20k this year submitted by /u/OkFigure6041 [link] [comments]”
“Pretty much the title, I’m 25 and had 3-4 different CCs that I maxed out and don’t remember which cc companies when I was younger, I want to pay everything off and try to start building my credit but idek where to begin, like how do I even see all the different places I’m in debt to and where to pay them all off and then how to start building actual credit and before you say it yes I know I’m an idiot submitted by /u/BlakeTheAnalSnake [link] [comments]”
“I concur. Basic credit union accounts are free. Also, there is never any really good reason to pay an annual fee for a credit card. Finally, I never apply for cards, I wait for them to send offers in the mail. And, while you may need to start with a secured card, don’t pay any fees. Capital One is a platform I like, so if you do decide to apply for a card, I would suggest the Quicksilver Reward card, but waiting for them to send you a pre-approved offer would be better.”
“For context Im 19 in college with a 770 credit score with about 1 year and 3 months of history. I make about 8k a year. What should my next card be my first one was a discover it secured card and my current credit limit is 2500. submitted by /u/Livid_Fill_9946 [link] [comments]”
“looking for advice: Current cards: • Credit Union card $2,000 limit, August ~25th 2025 • C1 Savor $9,000 limit, June 11, 2026 • Credit Score: 735 • Oldest account age: 11 months I have a travel trip coming up on August 17th, and I would like to try to apply for the AAA travel advantage card. However, I have heard it is manual review and the decision takes a while to mail, so I would like to at least perhaps apply on August 1st to hopefully get the card before then. Do you think I would be”
“Hello, Im looking to get my first credit card, previously was put as an authorized user of my mom’s becu cc just about 2 years ago. Looking to get CC recommendations, I was looking at getting a chase freedom flex or rise card. Just trying to build credit. I’m currently in the military, if that changes anything. FICO score: 647 gross income: ~40k average monthly expenses: 65 - subscriptions 35 - dining 100 - groceries 100/145 - other submitted by /u/Ihavenocluesadly [link] [comm”
“To preface I am 18 years old going on 19 soon, I use my parents cards a decent amount, I’m going into sophomore year of college and just working part time picking up shifts • Current cards: (list cards, limits, opening date) • capital one savor $3,000 limit, January 2026 • FICO Score: 748, CreditWise: 761 • Oldest account age: 11 on FICO, 6 years on CreditWise(authorized user) • Chase 5/24 status: 1/24 • Income: Part-time/school, ~15k-20k a year • Average monthly spend and categories: •”
“Secured Credit Card. Typically, they're for those who are new to credit/fresh off bankruptcy. Basically, you provide a refundable deposit ($250-Max of the bank-typically $2500) and that's the limit. The bank can't just arbitrarily increase it. If at any point the card isn't paid, then the deposit is used to pay it and any leftover is returned.”
“recently the bank changed their limit to $5000 automatically Have you tried asking the bank to lower the credit line? That sounds like the lowest effort with potentially highest yeild. Personally, if the behavior still has not changed, I would really be concerned about the spouse having access to a CC. I completely understand your concerns about fraud and holds, but those are downsides I would personally accept. Personally, I would pursue therapy. Yes, I know that sounds crazy. But identifying t”
“No, it might affect your utilization since the amount of available credit goes down and that affects your score but if you close a card in good standing it doesn’t affect your score. I closed 7 in one day once”
“If you have a credit union bank account and you like the institution. See if they have any cards they offer and you could start there. Otherwise the two main starter cards are discover and capital one. Both becoming the same company. You can see if they'll offer you a regular card first but with no profile. You can have the option of getting a secured card. Meaning you put up say $500. You get a $500 limit. If you manage it well. You can get your $500 back and start using the banks money. Di”
“Hello! I'm sure this question has been asked hundreds and hundreds of times on here, but I would really like some advice more personal to my situation! For some context, I am a recent college grad and have a full time job, currently looking for places to rent and have no credit score. Some places I've been interested in require a credit score of 600+, which, I understand I can't build credit THAT fast. However, it has inspired me to start looking into getting a credit card! Below is”
“So I've been on my mom's authorized user list for 2 years now, ever since we moved to the US a couple years ago. She has a delta amex card that I used for bills and big grocery purchases. Around 6 months ago, I went onto FICO to try and check my credit score, and it kept giving me an error. Experion was the same. I've graduated college now, and I was worried that I might not even have a credit score and that it would negatively impact house hunting or any other thing I would need it”
“I would like to close some of my credit card accounts after it has been paid off. I haven’t been the greatest at budgeting and want to remove some of my credit cards to prevent myself from using them. I currently have 10 and I want to reduce to at least half. Will getting rid of some of my older cards tank my score? I will be keeping the oldest one (9 years) but want to get rid of some of the others that aren’t beneficial (8.5 years, 7 years, 6 years) I also have 2 other cards I want to get rid”
“Was hoping that someone would be able to help me figure out what credit card to get. I just graduate college in May and am finally getting one. I checked my credit score and it's good. I'm in between Quicksilver and Savor rewards through Capital One, Freedom Unlimited and Flex through Chase, and Cash Back and Chrome through Discover. As of right now I'm planning to mainly use it for subscriptions and more consistent charges. I used a card comparison website and the ones I listed are”
“This advice is decades old and may not still be valid, or maybe never was, but: My mother encouraged me to call and ask for limit increases once in a while, as my CC got used and credit score improved. Even if this doesn't improve your score, it's not a bad idea to get a higher cap for car repairs or whatever may come up.”
“I have some problems with my credit history so I get shitty offers in the mail from companies like this all the time. But even if I am struggling financially, the minute I look at the terms of a company like this I rip up the application and throw it in the garbage.”
“Yes, it’s just the Wells Fargo Visa Signature. It was my very first credit card! I use it once a year just to keep it active since it gives that 50% boost in their portal.”
“chill out with 5 inquiries in 12 months it's going to be near impossible to get approved for a good travel credit card. also if you don't use the discover it, close it. it will still contribute to the average age of accounts for at least 5 years. I forget the exact number. keep the citi double cash since it may be handy to product change to another citi card later on. If you buy from online retailers in the usa, the amex blue cash gets 3% back for that and for groceries and gas (up to $6”
“Let's go! Seeing the number go up feels so damn nice. I've been happily watching my number go up ever since putting a real effort into paying off my discover cards and achieve loan. Up 50 in a bit over a year got me hyped up. The long haul is such a testament to your own will.”
“Good for you. I think reducing the credit limits makes everyone's score go down, opposite with raising them. They like it when you have at least some debt. When you pay off the car, your score will probably drop a little, but I'm sure it's worth it for the peace of mind.”
“What card should I get if im 18, have a kid, have had a job for 2 years and plan on getting a home separately from my mother about a year from now? I am banking with Chase. submitted by /u/Secret_Bottle_4762 [link] [comments]”
“I haven’t officially applied any there I’ve only done pre approval steps with capital one & discover”
“Secured cards. Discover secured or capital one platinum. Put $200 security deposit and throw all your subscriptions on there and pay off the balance every month.”
“Looking for advice for a credit card with no current credit history. I’m 28, and I recently got approved for SSI disability and haven’t worked previously due to health issues. I currently have no credit history due to no work history or anything to do with credit.. not looking for anything major as I’m just looking for something small if I ever need anything. Preferably looking for something with little fees or yearly or annual fees. I applied to capitol one & discover but was denied due to”
“Im newly in NYC for three months now. Ive decided to be a student here and I managed to make an account at TD Bank after my cousin got my name on a bill with his. TD-Bank proposed me to get the cash secured credit card and although I was interested I did not get through with it at the time. Im wondering whats the best way to grow my credit score while having a good first credit card. I do not have an SSN or ITIN yet. submitted by /u/AresRai [link] [comments]”
“Hi all, I’m 28F and an American who currently lives abroad and has for the past 5 years. For context, I used to have the Discover Student Card (changed to regular) and PayPal Credit but I closed those two years ago when I joined the ACCC program to pay them back. I’m still paying them. I currently am an authorized user of my dad’s Amex Blue Card + his Costco Citi bank card albeit he froze mine and my brother’s cards so we can’t actually use them. Anyway, I’m beginning to think about getting a cr”
“Hello, ive done research and delved into many posts on this same topic but am still coming up a bit in conclusive due to the dependent nature of “suitability” when it comes to credit cards. in honesty i don’t really know what types of benefits i’ll be needing the most as ive just graduated high school and barely even have an idea of who i am. Going off the cc basics page and the posts i’ve read, im currently deciding between discover student card (5% cash back), and chase freedom rise(1.5 - 3% c”
“Backstory- I bought a car 3 months ago and I was able to get my auto loan with a credit union for 4% instead of 5% if I opened a credit card with the auto loan. Card info- no annual fees, terrible bonuses Flash forward to today- I want to close the card, and I have used it once. The credit union user interface is terrible, slow, often has server issues, and harder to pay with a card from another bank. My loan is set on autodraft earlier than the due date due to all these issues. Because there’s”
“As the title suggests, I'm 20 and looking for advise on my next credit card. I want to maximize my rewards and possible travel points on the money I'm already spending. It's easy to get lost in all the noise and misinformation online. So I'm hoping I can't turn to Reddit for some ideas and clarity. Right now I have a Discover It Cash Back card, an auto loan, and a personal loan that'll be paid off in September. I've got a good payment history and I always pay my card”
“I’ve had my Discover It card for a year now and am looking for a second card. My FICO is at 730, and I spend about $3,000 a year. My monthly limit is $3,000. I don’t pay for my tuition on my card, as my university charges a 5% premium on credit card payments and my card doesn’t make it worth it. What card should I get next? I’m also looking into international travel later in the year. submitted by /u/poooooooomay [link] [comments]”
“I am copying/pasting the body of another post I made on r/CreditCards . I am just trying to reach a larger amount of people to get the most feedback possible rather than relying on Google. I am only looking for financial advice pertaining to the title. Thanks! For some context: I am (19M, USA) entering my first year of college this fall. I have zero debt (no student loans) and a good amount of cash saved up. Financially I feel very confident. I technically have 6 years of credit history due to b”
“Hi everyone! I migrated to the US earlier this year and got my first-ever credit card, the Discover it Secured with a $200 deposit. I’m coming up on my graduation soon and wanted to get some advice on what credit card I should apply for next? (I’ll do research based on your suggestions too!) Some context: • Only one credit card - Discover it Secured ($200 deposit) • About to hit 6 months of personal credit history, an authorized user of my father’s credit card but plan to take myself out Main sp”
“I'm looking for my first credit card and would appreciate some advice. A few details: I'm an authorized user on a parent's card, so I already have established credit. I'm also a Chase Private Client, and my checking account is with Chase. I currently have a paid internship, but it ends in about 3 weeks. My monthly spending is very low. I ran the pre-approval tools and got: Chase: Freedom Unlimited, Freedom Flex Capital One: Savor, Venture X American Express: Blue Cash Everyday Gi”
“Use it like a debit card. There is not ideal spending at each pay period. Spend what you can pay”
“Pay it off asap to save on interest. Look into if there is an early payoff fee/penalty in the T&C.”
“You can. They are called secured credit cards. (Yoy put down money on the card, and repay it) You can also do a cd loan. (You buy a cd and you borrow against it and pay it back) they both report to all 3 credit bureaus.”
“You can get a credit card (there are cards designed for people with low and no credit, specifically secured cards where you deposit money equal to the credit limit), pay it in full every month, and never pay any interest to build a credit score. But there's no easy way to quickly build credit. Taking out 100 small loans and immediately paying them back doesn't have the same affect as having 3 years of on time payment history.”
“Hello, I am 21 years old and I am seeking out advice that won’t hurt me in the long term. I have 4 different cards: - Chase Freedom Unlimited (10 months & 7.5k limit) - Discover (1 years 10 months & 3k limit) - WF Autograph (demoted after BILT 2.0) (1 year 4 months & 7k limit) - Chase Sapphire Preferred (3 days lol & 9k limit) I have genuinely not once ever used the autograph ever since it got demoted and was wondering if I should just close the account for simplicity sake. My wo”