Average Credit - Card or no Card?

walking-alone

Hi all,

Not sure this is the right place for this, but here goes..

I'm quite keen on getting a credit card (have applied for a couple in the past, but neither were successful - think I set my sights too high!) so the only option I really have is to get a credit building card.

I don't have bad credit, just distinctly average (no credit or store cards, 1 year's worth of phone contract, no finance etc). I have a graduate account with RBS, so if I applied for their bogstandard card does that have more chance of getting accepted?

Finally, this may make all of the above completely irrelevant but... We're currently in the process of looking for our first house; we're hoping that this will be done in the next 6 months. We have a mortgage in principle through Halifax (who only did a soft search on our credit report) so my question is: if I apply for a credit card, will it put my potential mortgage at risk? I'm not necessarily getting a mortgage through Halifax (most likely Yorkshire BS) so I'd need further credit checks for them.

Sorry that was such a long winded way to ask one (hopefully) simple question!

Simon7685

Don't know about mainstream bank credit cards and whether you would be accepted or not but you could try the easier ones to be accepted for. My credit status is only just starting to recover after 6 years of hell. I still have a CCJ (until November) and a default that is about to drop off my file this month. I have in the last 2 months finally managed to get a current account with my bank, they will even allow me a £100 overdraft but not one of their credit cards.

I have though been accepted by Vanquis, Aqua and Capital One for their cards. The starting limits are only small (200 - 250) and the interest rates are high - Granite(Vanquis) 59.9%:eek:, Aqua 35.9% and Capital One 35.9%. My philosophy and advice on these cards is they are helping to build my credit history, I use them every month and pay them off completely, so it costs me nothing. If you want to build your credit history and rating they are worth considering, if you clear them each month, or they are expensive to run.

Hope that helps.