There’s no reason to feel intimidated by a credit card. As long as you pay off your purchases every month, there’s little risk and tons of upside.
— Claire Dickey
Claire Dickey is a credit cards editor at Bankrate, focusing on news, product guides and educational content. Her areas of expertise include rewards and travel credit cards, building credit and credit card news. Always on the lookout for the latest credit cards and card perks, as well as cards-related legislation and regulations, Claire is passionate about demystifying personal finance topics. Her goal is to help readers save money, earn rewards and protect their credit scores.
When she’s not strategizing about how to maximize rewards on her next trip, Claire is an avid runner and day hiker.
If you’re trying to build credit, my best advice is to keep things simple. A credit card is a great way to show your creditworthiness, but picking one can be overwhelming since there are so many options out there and so many features to consider. Stick to the basics: Look for a card with low fees and the option to put down a large deposit and get a matching credit limit. If you pay on time and only charge small purchases to the card, your score can grow surprisingly quickly.
There’s no reason to feel intimidated by a credit card. As long as you pay off your purchases every month, there’s little risk and tons of upside.
— Claire Dickey
For a $450 annual fee, American Airlines loyalists can fly in style with perks like Admirals Club membership, priority boarding on flights, credit for TSA Pre✓® or Global Entry and more.
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Building credit now is an important step toward future financial health.
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No matter what your worth is on paper, pay off your credit card debt as soon as possible.
The Citi Rewards+ Student Card is a no annual fee rewards option for young adults looking to build credit and earn points for everyday purchases.
Find out whether the Chase Freedom Student card is a good match for you.
This program lets you earn and redeem points at more than 600 hotels in the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean and Latin America.
If you’re paying for a large purchase with a credit card, use a card with a low APR or a generous rewards system.
The Best Western Rewards program features plenty of attractive benefits.
The Amex Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant’s $300 dining credit might be a downgrade from the previous hotel credit. Here’s everything you need to know about this and other changes to this card.
Use the Amex Gold to earn rewards on dining, groceries and travel. Then, take advantage of boosted rewards redemption through the Amex Travel portal.
A starter card can be a great tool for building credit while practicing good habits, like paying off balances each month.
Our updated guide explains refund guidelines and elite status requirements for airlines during coronavirus.
Earn generous rewards percentages on your small business necessities with this cash back card.
A card for consumers with fair credit who may not be eligible for the best rewards cards on the market today.
A 0 percent intro APR card can hurt your credit in some instances, so use it well.
This guide is intended to help military families learn about some of the top investments available to them.
The Capital One Spark Cash for Business Plus is ideal for business owners who want rewards for their spending but have no time for rewards categories.
Business owners who have a lot of expenditures in the bonus categories can benefit from owning the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card.
Paying rent with a credit card can be a quick way to earn rewards, but beware of the risks before you decide.
Here are key pros and cons of cash management accounts and money market funds