Building credit scores

[MissMae 2]

It's been 10 months since I got here in America and it's been a rough ride! Everything is new, feels like I'm starting my entire life since birth! Me and my hubby moved from Montana to Florida, to explore more possibilities and opportunities especially in my career. He finally accepted that I'm not just gonna be a housewife! LOL. I'm so far happy with my job in the hospital, but I'm still aiming for something higher... that's why I'm reviewing for my NCLEX RN exam. But even if I'm satisfied with how my life goes right now, there are still tings that I can't get away from... a credit card! No matter how I refused to get one, I still have to I hate bills! And our bills now, are enough for me. So suck it up buttercup, I need to get a credit card... this site has been a very big help for me since the beginning, so here I am again, PLEASE help me with this...

What is the best credit card for first timer like me?

What are the ways that I can do to build up a credit score without getting broke?!

And how do you earn scores? Like if I open a credit card, will I start from ZERO score?! And how many score do you earn if you pay 1 bill on time?

I'm sorry! I sound really dumb right now, 'cause yes! I'm dumb with credit cards 'cause I don't like!

[anaheimcalifornia 12]

Try capital one they usually always approve right away or just go to your local bank and apply for a scured credit card which means u pay $300 or more and use that as credit for 6 months or so and after paying back on time and using responsibly your bank will give u back the $300 and u will be given a credit card from them usually for $1,000 limit or more.

Good luck

[MissMae 2]

Thank you for your reply!

I haven't searched about capital one. I have one option now, the Chase Freedom. But I will put Capital one in my list too You think Chase freedom is good?

[notusinganymore 31]

I think you should just get a basic card, buy or pay bills little by little to build credit score. It'll be slow but it'll build. I applied a credit card where I had my bank account. In the future it'll be easier to pay a credit card that's the same as your bank account. However, I believe you earn faster if you have at least 2 credit cards and pay them in time. It shows you are a good borrower.

There are different things that will affect your credit. I always think of 3.

1. If you pay in time, your credit score goes up.

2. If you open a new credit line, your score goes down a LITTLE bit. But I think having at least 2 credit cards that you use and pay properly will be more beneficial to disregard this little bit of reduction in your credit score by opening a new credit line.

3. If you pay late, your score will get knocked down significantly.

Owning more than 1 credit card requires discipline in checking your accounts in intervals to make sure things are paid and that no unauthorized use is happening. I check mine at least twice a month.

Checking your credit score multiple times in a year can also reduce your score. They do give you 1 free chance a year to check your score without your score being affected.

I hope that helps.

[TBoneTX 45,288]

Thread is moved from the Moving to the US forum to the Tax & Finances forum, to be among similar threads.

[PeachesMagee 62]

This is actually something I hadn't thought of, but with moving to the US soon, I'll be in the same boat as the OP.

I don't mean to hijack this tread, but it may help the OP too

I have insanely good credit in Canada, and have had a store issued Credit Card (Kohl's) for about 2 years now.

Will the Kohl's card help me build my US credit? Or, because I'm still here, will it not count to my US credit score?

Thanks!

[Transborderwife 4,666]

This is actually something I hadn't thought of, but with moving to the US soon, I'll be in the same boat as the OP.

I don't mean to hijack this tread, but it may help the OP too

I have insanely good credit in Canada, and have had a store issued Credit Card (Kohl's) for about 2 years now.

Will the Kohl's card help me build my US credit? Or, because I'm still here, will it not count to my US credit score?

Thanks!

It may a little. If you have good credit in Canada I'd start banking with a bank that would let you transfer to the USA and perhaps use your Canadian score to get American credit asap (TD and Rbc come to mind )

[PeachesMagee 62]

It may a little. If you have good credit in Canada I'd start banking with a bank that would let you transfer to the USA and perhaps use your Canadian score to get American credit asap (TD and Rbc come to mind )

I have an RBC account (opened here in Winnipeg) and as a result, I was able to open an RBC US account. This was done at the end of 2014.

I have no credit cards through them, but do have a MasterCard and Amex, in Canada. If I'm lucky, they'll let me transfer to the US, since I do carry a balance.

[DaveNot 55]

Secure credit card for six months wells Fargo has them and so do a variety of other companies and then you'll have credit.or piggy back of your partners for sometime.

For me doing this and less than a year of making payments has pretty much allowed me to obtain credit in most places even at low interest

Edited June 1, 2016 by DaveNot

[NikLR 13,227]

I have an RBC account (opened here in Winnipeg) and as a result, I was able to open an RBC US account. This was done at the end of 2014.

I have no credit cards through them, but do have a MasterCard and Amex, in Canada. If I'm lucky, they'll let me transfer to the US, since I do carry a balance.

When you do move to the USA, send RBC bank your w9 with your SSN.

Get a credit card through them as well checking your Canadian credit to get the card. Then make sure they also have your SSN on file so that the credit reports are going to the US credit bureaus not the Canadian ones.

I found this was the easiest way to build my credit. I only have an issue with one credit bureau who can't seem to figure out who I am, so more information to them. Sigh.

It's been 10 months since I got here in America and it's been a rough ride! Everything is new, feels like I'm starting my entire life since birth! Me and my hubby moved from Montana to Florida, to explore more possibilities and opportunities especially in my career. He finally accepted that I'm not just gonna be a housewife! LOL. I'm so far happy with my job in the hospital, but I'm still aiming for something higher... that's why I'm reviewing for my NCLEX RN exam. But even if I'm satisfied with how my life goes right now, there are still tings that I can't get away from... a credit card! No matter how I refused to get one, I still have to I hate bills! And our bills now, are enough for me. So suck it up buttercup, I need to get a credit card... this site has been a very big help for me since the beginning, so here I am again, PLEASE help me with this...

What is the best credit card for first timer like me?

What are the ways that I can do to build up a credit score without getting broke?!

And how do you earn scores? Like if I open a credit card, will I start from ZERO score?! And how many score do you earn if you pay 1 bill on time?

I'm sorry! I sound really dumb right now, 'cause yes! I'm dumb with credit cards 'cause I don't like!

Get a secured credit card.

Keep the limit quite low and make sure to pay it monthly after the bill comes in.

If you and your spouse can buy something together that requires a loan so they can co-sign, that's okay too (like a car or even a bed?)