There are so many credit cards available, but choosing the right one can be daunting especially if you have no idea about credit cards or you’re just getting started.
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College is an ideal place to start building credit and there are good options for getting credit cards for beginners with no credit history.
Here’s a list of the 5 best credit cards for beginners to start using and get tons of rewards:
1. Discover Student Credit Card
This was the first credit card (Student Chrome) I got right when I started college. I applied and got an approval email within minutes. I highly recommend Discover Student Credit Card for beginners because you get the opportunity to build your credit history and earn cashback rewards on purchases.
Discover offers two credits cards type: Discover it® Student chrome and Discover it® Student Cash Back. Read more to pick the one that suits your needs.
Perks
- Good Grade Rewards: you get $20 statement credit each school year your GPA is 3.0 or higher for up to the next five years
- Low Intro Rate: you get 0% intro APR (Annual Percentage Rate) for the first few months
- Check credit score for FREE
- Refer a friend program: get $50 credit
- No annual fee to keep the card
2. Bank of America Cash Rewards for Students
I use Bank of America’s checking account. Bank of America Cash Rewards card offers similar perks as Discover with slight differences.
Perks
- Get a $200 (subject to change) cash rewards bonus after making at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening
- Low Intro Rate: you get 0% intro APR for the first few months
- No annual fee
- Check credit score for FREE
3. Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students
The Deserve® EDU Mastercard is great for people with no credit history and international students. Social Security Number is not required for international students to apply!
Perks
- Receive one year of Amazon Prime Student on Deserve after your first purchase with your new Deserve EDU Mastercard (Lifetime Value of $59)
- Refer A Friend Program: get $30 credit
- No annual fee
4. Capital One Student Credit Card
The Student card offers cashback on every purchase and a boost on cashback if you pay your card bill on time.
Perks
- No annual fee
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- Unlimited 1% cashback plus 1.25% cashback if bills are paid on time
5. Citi Rewards+ Student Card
The Citi Rewards+ Card automatically rounds up to the nearest 10 points on every purchase – a $2 cup of coffee can earn 10 points. Points can be redeemed for cash back, gift cards, or merchandise.
Perks
- 0% intro APR
- No annual fee
What should I do if I can’t get a student credit card?
1. Apply for a secured card
Secured cards are designed to help people with bad credit or no credit. You pay a cash security deposit and you get a card with a credit limit that’s the same as your deposit.
The card is just like any credit card: you pay with it and pay off the balance every month. If you decide to close or upgrade the account to a regular credit card, you get your deposit back.
These are some of the best secured cards:
You can be added to your parent’s credit card account and you get your card, but the primary cardholder is responsible for paying the balance. If the primary cardholder has a good credit history, then you also benefit from that.
If you are feeling overwhelmed about where to start, check out the post on how to choose the best credit card for you.
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Do you know of other awesome credit cards for beginners? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below!
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