There are lots of secured credit cards on the market, but it can be hard to figure out which one is the best. By the end of reading this article you will know all about how these cards work, weather or not you should get one, and tips of using them effectively.
What is a Secured Credit Cards
A secured credit card is a type of credit card that requires you to make a cash deposit (your “security”) into an account with the same bank.
The amount of your security deposit determines how much credit limit you have and how much money you can spend on the card. The interest rates are usually higher than those on other types of cards, but they’re also lower than some other types of loans—and if you don’t make any late payments, your interest rate will be 0%.
When it comes to benefits and drawbacks, secured cards are similar to many unsecured cards: They can help build up your credit score and provide access to better terms when applying for unsecured cards in the future.
How Do Secured Credit Cards Work?
Secured credit cards are pretty simple to use. You open an account by depositing a sum of money into a savings account or CD. The amount you deposit serves as collateral for your credit line, and the bank uses this money to give you a line of credit with which you can make purchases and pay bills just like any other card.
When it comes time to pay off the balance on your secured card, the bank will take what’s owed out of your account first before they start charging interest on any remaining balance. This means that if there isn’t enough money in your savings account or CD when it comes time to pay off the bill, then no payments will be made at all until more funds become available.
If there is enough money in your account when it comes time pay off the bill, then payments are usually made automatically (although sometimes these can be adjusted).
Why Should You Consider Getting a Secured Credit Card?
Secured credit cards can help you build a better credit score, which will make it easier to get loans and other products in the future.
If you have bad or no credit and don’t have a lot of money on hand to get approved for a regular unsecured credit card, this may be the best option for building up your score and starting to establish yourself as a responsible borrower.
What Are the Best Secured Credit Cards?
For most people, the best secured credit cards are those that have a high-fee structure. This is because these cards typically offer better rewards and benefits than their unsecured counterparts. Secured cards can also be particularly useful in helping you rebuild your credit history if you’ve had trouble with past transactions on other types of cards (e.g., unsecured or student loans).
In addition to being useful for building up your credit score, secured credit cards are also worthwhile because they offer protection against fraud and identity theft. Unlike debit or prepaid debit cards, which use funds directly from your checking account, regular bank accounts aren’t at risk when using a secured card—you simply make payments to the issuer instead of directly to merchants.
This means that if someone tries to steal your personal information by making unauthorized purchases with an unsecured card, they won’t have access to any money held within your checking account!
Related Article: Smart Tips on using a credit card. | How credit cards can improve your credit score
Is a secured credit card worth it?
Secured credit cards are a great way to build your credit, but they can be confusing. Many people think that they’re the same as unsecured credit cards, which are often also called “credit cards.” That’s not true!
Let’s say you have $1,000 in savings and want to get a secured card. You go to the bank or credit union that holds your savings account and ask them for money. They will give it to you if they trust that the money is safe with you—and they’ll put this amount on hold until after six months of good behavior with the secured card.
At that point, when all of your payments have been made on time (or before six months if there’s an early payoff option), then the bank/union will release their hold on those funds so that they become available in your account again for other uses like paying bills or saving for bigger things later down the line (like buying a house).
Tips for using your secured credit card wisely
To make the most of your secured credit card, follow these tips:
- Pay your bill on time. You’ll get a lower interest rate if you do, and it will improve the length of time before the card expires.
- Don’t spend more than you can afford to pay back. If you carry a balance on this type of card, interest rates are higher than those for unsecured cards—even if they start at low amounts like 10%.
- Don’t use your credit card for cash advances (that is, withdrawing money just by showing ID). These transactions usually come with high fees and rates that may be even higher than typical purchases made with this kind of plastic. They also increase how much debt is owed overall because some issuers charge interest immediately on cash advances while others wait until their next billing cycle begins before charging customers interest thereon—meaning they could end up paying twice as much in charges compared with purchases alone over time!
Related Article: Tips on how not to be buried in credit card debts
With good credit habits and time, you can build your credit score with a secured card.
If you’re new to credit, it can be difficult to get started. A secured card is one of the best ways to build your credit score. A secured card is more like a debit card than a traditional credit card – you deposit money into an account that acts as collateral for your spending limit on the card.
If you don’t make payments on time, the bank will take that money out of your account and use it to make up what you owe them.
Because these are low-risk options for banks, they tend to offer better interest rates than regular prepaid cards or unsecured credit cards – which makes them an excellent way to build up your financial skills while earning rewards at the same time!
Bottom Line
Secured credit cards are a great way to get started building (or rebuilding) your credit score. By making careful use of the card, you can improve your credit, get approved for more favorable rates on other loans or credit cards, and save yourself a lot of money in the long run.
Just remember to make all payments on time and avoid accumulating too much debt on your card. It’s also important to check your credit score regularly so that you can see improvement over time and feel good about how much progress you’re making!
