Consider using the Capital One card tool to see if prequal for a credit card. QS1 or Platinum likely. A real credit card may help you more in the long run more than a store card. The card tool doesn't do a hard pull on your credit reports.
@Skye12329 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:I have only started credit a few months ago (I'm only 18!) I checked Credit Karma and I have a 659 credit score with Transunion and Equifax. I have 3 (credit card) total accounts on both reports and 3 hard inquires on both reports as well, Credit card utilization is at 35% thats because I have very low limits on the cards i got now, anyways i was thinking about going to Lowes and getting their credit card with a $800 limit for a item I want for christmas. 18 months of NO interest! plus 5% off! so what are my chances of getting approved? I know that i only started credit a few months ago, but i heard store cards are easier to get then bank credit cards, also I make about $12,000 per year, (college student) Please answer my question because I don't want to waste another hard inquire and get DENIED due to lack of credit history or lack of payment history, etc... Thanks!!
I'm not really sure how income factors in, but thankfully someone has mentioned their experience, and hopefully others will as well. With your age, depending on the wording of the application, you may be able to in good conscience get a little creative with "you're" income. Someone may need to correct me, but I think I recalled reading that some apps allow people under 21 to include other things in that amount that really isnt their income.
As others have said, going to the cap1 site and checking out their prequal tool may be helpful to you. It's good that you are aware of the importance of hard pulls, but overall even if you swing and miss on a card or 2, in most circumstances it isn't going to be that harmful, especially when you're looking to build credit. You may not get that $800 SL you wanted though. As someone else said, some folks(maybe even myself) have only gotten $300 limits, and although they have the ability to grow with soft pull CLIs, I'm guessing that might not be helpful if you need $800 between now and Christmas.
Can I ask if getting that item was your main motivation for getting the card(with the bonuses you thought you could get both of)? If so, might you be just as interested in a non-store card with an introductory 0% interest rate? Either way, my bit of advice may be that regardless of which you apply for, you may want to aim for whichever will let you get more creative for what is included in your income when it comes time to fill out that box. You're age may actually benefit you there as noted before, so that you may be less tempted to fudge that box when you come to it. I live alone, so I am not an expert on this, but I think for some applications youre also allowed to enter household income. With all of that said, the income box may not be your main worry.
Are you familiar with being an authorized user on someone else's account? If so, are you, or could you get someone else to add you? That should help to an extent.
While I am not sure if this would help in time for Christmas, it may be something you find useful: https://www.optoutprescreen.com/?rf=t This site will let you opt in to receive pre-screened offers, or opt out of them if you later change your mind.
Others will likely be better suited to direct you toward cards that like "thin profiles"(I think Discover may be one), but I hope some of what I said will be helpful. One of the best pieces of wisdom I've read on various boards is that it's often harder to get credit when you need it than when you dont. Even if the Lowes purchase doesn't work out now(which I am by no means suggesting it won't! There are multiple ways you could approach this.), if you got a card or 2 of some sort/size right now, you'd likely be in good shape for Christmas next year and even sooner.
One more tool you may find useful is this list of preqlification links you can check: http://www.doctorofcredit.com/view-personalized-credit-card-offers/
By the way, I'd be interested in hearing how this goes. I'm wishing the best for you!
When applying for any card you should put down your income unless it states otherwise. As for the age 21+ part, every application i have seen says if your over 21 you may include another persons income if it is income you use regularly to pay bills.
The Lowes application does state income from all sources. So if you receive money from a retirement account, job...etc. those would be sources. The 21+ is generally the same for household income also.
Reason you should put your actual income down is due to the fact of a lender requesting income proof.
Thanks for that. I must have reversed the age thing I read on some application. 
Like I said, I've done all of my applications while living alone, so I couldn't provided that kind of expertise while others may be able to. I thought the OP's age would allow them to be "creative" with their income (using household income) like many others on here do. That would seem unfair that if someone the OP's age were married that they couldn't include their spouse's income due to age. While this is irrelevant to me, it's interesting because I like helping others. Thanks again, it seems like I'm always learning on here!