- 1). Order a credit report. Before applying for a credit card, it is important to review your credit report. Inaccuracies, such as accounts you don't own or inaccurate late payment reports, could be dragging your credit score down farther. Order a free credit report through Annual Credit Report. Consumers are entitled to a free report once annually. If you find errors, dispute the errors with the reporting credit bureau.
- 2). Apply for a secured credit card. If credit card companies won't approve an unsecured credit card, consider applying for a secured card. With this type of credit card, the consumer pays a deposit to secure the credit card. If the balance isn't paid back, the deposit may be used to pay the debt. Find credit card companies through online tools, such as Bank Rate.
- 3). Apply for an unsecured card. After several months of using your secured credit card, ask the creditor about unsecured credit cards. The company may be willing to offer this type of credit card to consumers who have made timely payments. Making timely payments will also increase your credit score.
- 4). Keep your credit card balances low. Once you've secured a credit card, pay off your balance in full every month. Use the credit card for the sole purpose of increasing your credit score. Carrying a balance that exceeds 30 percent of the total available credit can drag down your credit score. However, if you keep the balance below this percentage, your credit score will increase.
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