Paul Sarwana asked: A credit card application can feel like a shot in the dark, what enables a consumer to get approved for a credit card? There are several factors that will prevent a person from getting a plastic money. Remember that companies want to approve you, after all, you’d be their customer. Don’t give them any reasons you don’t have to turn you away.
The first thing that some people overlook is age. To get a card you must be at least 18 years old and either a full time student or have a source of steady income. When a credit card company invests in you they’re doing so with the belief that you have the maturity to operate a card and not abuse it.
But what is maturity? To a lender, maturity is stability and proof that you pay your bills on time. Paying bills on time, even for a few months, can dramatically improve your credit history and your chances of getting a card. Not doing so can be fatal to any credit card application. Holding down the same job and residence is another important factor. Stability is also seen as maturity and reinforces your image to the company that your income will be secure.
Depending on how well you do paying your bills on time and your income level, some cards maybe out of your reach. But there are cards that are within your reach and establishing your ability to use those plastic money responsibly.
Using only 50% of the line of credit dramatically improves your credit score and thus your ability to get ones that offer more options and rewards. However, having a large number of credit cards that are constantly at their credit limit is counter productive as it will lower your credit rating. Remember that the key word here is responsibly.
In applying for a card you have to assume that every question they ask will be verified. The issuer is giving you the opportunity to run up a debt as high as your credit limit. They want to make sure that you’re a sound investment. All the questions need to be answered truthfully and completely. Leave nothing blank. At the very least you own it to the lender that’s going to run the checks on your financial background.
In dire cases you can turn to a guarantor for your card. In essence this means using someone else’s credit to allow you to use your own card and build up your credit history. However, there might be times when even that option is closed, and for those individuals, there are secured credit cards. Secured cards operate like normal cards except they require an upfront deposit.
Armed with this knowledge you’ll be better able to understand how the credit card application process works and better able to get a credit card approval.
Maureen
