Credit Card Home|Rewards|Low APR|Balance Transfer|Cash Back|Travel|Student|Business|Average Credit|Bad Credit|FAQ|Blog

Credit Cards FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about Credit Cards

    What is a secured credit card?

    Secured credit cards require the user to provide a cash collateral deposit which becomes the line of credit for that account. The amount of the cash collateral is your credit limit, so if you put down $250, you will have a line of credit of up to $250.

    If you don't qualify for an unsecured credit card due to a limited credit history or credit issues, a secured credit card can be a smart choice. The advantage of secured credit cards is that some of them report your payment history to the 3 credit bureaus, thereby allowing you to rebuild your credit history. Additionally, if you maintain a positive payment history on the card, it is likely the company will eventually qualify you for an unsecured credit card.

    Return to Credit Cards FAQs


Search our site for more information about Credit Cards:

Top Credit Cards

Capital One® Venture<sup><small>SM</small></sup> Rewards Credit Card
Rating:
Go to Site | Review

Bottom line: Travel rewards card winner with a value of $2 for every $100 spent, no blackout dates or restrictions
Citi Simplicity® Card
Rating:
Go to Site | Review

Bottom line: Citi's 18-month 0% intro purchase and balance transfer APR period is the longest of any card, no late fees
Capital One® Cash Rewards - $100 Cash Back Bonus
Rating:
Go to Site | Review

Bottom line: Effective 1.5% cash back on all purchases; 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers; $100 bonus opportunity
Chase Freedom® Visa - $100 Bonus Cash Back + 0% Intro APR
Rating:
Go to Site | Review

Bottom line: Excellent combination of cash back rewards and 0% intro APR; $100 bonus opportunity
Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
Rating:
Go to Site | Review

Bottom line: Citi's 18-month 0% intro purchase and balance transfer APR period is the longest of any card; post-intro APR is also low
United MileagePlus® Explorer Card
Rating:
Go to Site | Review

Bottom line: Good choice for United flyers who want to earn free flights with great perks; flight redemption value of $1.94
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards® Plus Card from Chase
Rating:
Go to Site | Review

Bottom line: Excellent choice for frequent Southwest fliers; strong travel rewards analysis contender; free flight with first purchase
Escape by Discover® Card
Rating:
Go to Site | Review

Bottom line: Top travel rewards contender; 0% intro APR on balance transfers and purchases; earn up to 25,000 bonus miles in 25 months
Blue Cash Everyday<sup><small>SM</small></sup> Card from American Express
Rating:
Go to Site | Review

Bottom line: Up to 3% cash back on everyday spending; $100 cash back bonus; unlimited cash back; 0% intro APR
Citi® Platinum Select® Visa®
Rating:
Go to Site | Review

Bottom line: Citi's 18-month 0% intro purchase and balance transfer APR period is the longest of any card; post-intro APR is also low
Discover® More Card
Rating:
Go to Site | Review

Bottom line: 15-month 0% intro APR on purchases & balance transfers, up to 5% cash back.

All Services Reviewed:

Audiobooks
Auto Insurance
Cloud Storage
Credit Cards
Credit Monitoring
Diet Programs
DVD Rental

Fashion Clubs
Genealogy
Identity Theft
Internet Fax
Legal Services
Online Backup
Online College

Online Dating
Online Meeting
Parental Control
Payday Loans
People Search
Photo Cards
Remote Desktop

Savings Accounts
Security Software
Small Business
Tax Preparation
Virtual Phone
VoIP
Web Hosting

Popular Services Reviewed:

Credit Monitoring Services
Identity Theft Services
Web Hosting Services

Online Backup Services
Internet Fax Services
VoIP Services

NextAdvisor Home |Latest Blog Headlines

Find Us On:



Copyright© 2006 - 2012 NextAdvisor.com - All rights reserved.

Disclosure: NextAdvisor.com is a consumer information site that offers free, independent reviews and ratings of online services. We receive advertising revenue from most of the services we review. Our editors thoroughly research and whenever possible test each service we review and offer their honest opinions about each one. We are independently owned and operated and all opinions expressed on this site are our own.