A credit card can help you rebuild your credit score. This card will help your ratio of available credit to debt and you can build a positive payment history.

When you have a damaged score you will be faced with a sub prime interest rate. This means you will have an interest rate around 19%.

It is still important to remove bad credit items from your credit report. However it has been learned that after a bad credit item ages 4 years it will damage your score much less.

On your card you will have to pay an annual fee and a high interest rate. Unfortunately this is an unavoidable cost, however with proper use you can ensure this is the last time you will have to pay high interest rates.

On your card you will be given a credit line of $300. Your other choice is to get a secured credit card.

A secured card works like this; you deposit money into a bank account with the credit card issuer and they give you a credit card with the amount of your deposit as your credit limit. Your card will work just like an unsecured card; you will have monthly due dates and minimums to pay.

With an unsecured card it will be instant approval and your payments and balance will be reported to all major credit bureaus. It is important to double check and make sure your credit card will report to all three credit bureaus.

Another tip to help you get the most benefit to your credit is to keep your balance at roughly 10% of your credit limit. For example a credit limit of $300 you will want to keep the monthly balance at $30.

This will help because it shows; you use your credit, and use it responsibly. In addition having available credit will increase your available credit to debt ratio, this shows the bureaus that you are not in over your head.

The last option for a card is a shopping card or a credit card that is only accepted at a specific location. We do not suggest these cards; they often come with large upfront payments and only report to one credit bureau.

You also can apply for a prepaid credit card however these cards typically do not report to a credit agency. However they do work like a bank account and if you are in chexsystems this is a good choice.

In sum we suggest a sub prime unsecured credit card to help rebuild your credit score. It will create a positive payment history and build positive credit.