Credit Card Essentials

To improve your odds of being approved for a new credit card account, try these steps:

Request your free credit score to determine your credit profile.

Learn about credit cards designed for your credit profile, so that you apply for offers that you are likely to be approved for.

If your application is initially rejected, be sure to call the card issuer and ask for reconsideration. Applicants often may be able to reallocate their credit lines or offer other information that results in approval.

With hundreds of available credit cards on the market, it's important to understand what your spending habits are in order to choose the card that's right for you.

For example, cardholders who carry a balance should consider a card with the lowest interest rate or perhaps a 0% APR introductory period. A lower interest rate means you will pay less money toward interest charges as you pay down credit card debt. On the other hand, cardholders who always pay their statement balances in full will avoid interest charges and may be more interested in a card that offers the most valuable rewards, based on their spending habits and lifestyle.

You can help ensure that you meet the credit card issuer's criteria by knowing what your credit score is. That way, you can get matched with cards you're more likely to get approved for. Consider using our credit score partner, TransUnion, to determine your credit rating.

Finally, you should consider any benefits offered by the card, such as air miles, cash back or travel insurance, as well as any applicable fees like annual and foreign transaction fees. Fiona makes comparing credit card rewards easy, by showing you a dollar value for how much you’ll earn within a year of using each credit card.