Bad Credit Cards FAQS

The Emporium credit card is a store credit account that does not charge interest. You will not be charged interest. You will pay recurring scheduled payments. These payments will be deducted from your bank account automatically according to your payment schedule.

If you were turned down for a new credit card, it may mean that your credit score isn't great or you have some recent bad things on your credit reports. In this case, you the first thing you should do is to get a copy of your three credit reports. You can order the copies from each of the three major credit bureaus of from special services. Make sure there aren't any errors on your reports; if there are, write or call credit bureaus and reporting companies to have them corrected. Then, pay off any outstanding debts you may have, or try to make at least minimum monthly payment with all your creditors on time and each month. Try to keep all your accounts in good standing so that to continue...

You can apply for a regular credit card that is issued by a major bank and not co-branded with any retailer. Major banks usually have good customer service, and if you need to solve some issues in person, you can always find an office nearby. The credit cards, issued by major banks often come with rewards programs, low fees and low interest rates. The cards' activity is also reported to all three major credit bureaus so you will be able to build your credit. You will also be able to manage your account online.

It can be very tempting to apply for store credit cards: they offer a first purchase discount, special financing, and sometimes good rewards. But before you apply for a store card think of how often do you shop at this particular store. Often, it is worth having a store credit card when you shop there all the time. However, store credit cards have high interest rates, so they are not good when you have a habit of carrying a balance on your cards. Also, of you have poor credit, you may not qualify for a store credit card, and even if you qualify, your credit limit will be low, so you could easily spend full limit and even max out your card, which is not good for your already bad credit.

Yes. Even if your credit is bad, you still can find a credit card with the gas rewards program. However, be ready for high interest rate and an annual fee. The interest rates and fees may negate all your rewards if you do not pay them on time. You will want to pay the card balance off to keep your rewards intact. Also, if the card has an annual fee make sure the rewards you earn will at least cover the annual fee. If not, then you may want to skip such card and get a cheaper one. Another option is to apply for a secured credit card. You will need to put down a security deposit to get this card. A minimum security deposit is around $200 and it gets you an equal line of credit. Secured cards...

When applying for a store card you do not need excellent credit, but do not apply if you have bad credit. A bad credit score is anything below 580. In general, it is likely you will be approved if you have a good credit score of 680 or above. If you have a fair credit score between 620-679 there is no guarantee of approval. Store cards tend to be somewhat more lenient than some of the traditional cards. However, if your credit is not in good or better shape it is probably not a good idea to take a chance on an application. When you apply for a credit card the bank will most likely do a hard pull on your credit which will lower it a bit more. So if your credit is not good take measures to...

Although store cards tend to have a large window of the types of credit they accept, I would not recommend it. If you have not done anything since applying for the previous cards you were denied for, it would be doubtful your credit has improved much. If you have recently been denied for other store cards, I would doubt this case would be any different. Instead, try applying for a card that caters to those with bad credit. Or even consider a secured credit card. Also make sure you are monitoring your credit regularly. Keep in mind that every time you submit an application your credit score takes a hit. So it is never a good idea to submit many applications.