Welcome to the myFICO forums!
Ultimately, what a person needs to improve their FICO scores and build credit are three open credit cards (secured or unsecured) in good standing and one open installment loan in good standing such as a car, home, student, personal, share secured, or credit building loan. This combination is what the myFICO score theorists here have determined is what you need for optimal credit building and FICO score. You can have more CCs and more installment loans, however, this will not increase your FICO scores.
IMO, Discover it Secured is one of the best secured CCs for poor credit, bad credit, and no credit applicants—and one of the best gas CCs you can get with bad credit. Disco offers 2% cash back at restaurants and gas stations (one up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter) and 1% cash back on other purchases. You’ll need an up-front security deposit of at least $200 to apply for the Discover it Secured Card.
Capital One Secured CC requires a refundable security deposit of $49, $99 or $200 based on your creditworthiness. Make the minimum required security deposit and you'll get an initial credit line of $200. Plus, deposit more money before your account opens to get a higher credit line. Get access to a higher credit line after making your first 5 monthly payments on time.
The OpenSky Secured Visa CC certainly has the edge over other easy cards to get, as it does not even require a credit check. All you need is a security deposit of at least $200, your Social Security number and proof that you are above 18 years of age -- and you’re approved.
The installment loan will have its greatest impact on your FICO score when the amount owed is at its smallest such as a few months before the loan is paid in full. If you don't have an installment loan you can check into SelfLender or a Share Secured Loan at a Credit Union.
Keep in mind, building credit does not happen overnight and is a marathon, not a sprint. It involves demonstrating to a potential creditor that a person can handle credit responsibly. Having open, active accounts that are being paid on time and low credit utilization is the fastest way to build good, solid credit.
