Where would you start?

[slowlyclimbing]

I'm helping my 18 year old daughter start her credit profile

she has over 750 on all files because of AU accounts but she needs her own cards to start out

what would you recommend?  Start with just 1 card or what would be your plan?

[Jnbmom]

Is she a student?

I would have her try discover's prequalify and see what comes up. Disco is a good starter card for newer profiles .

[slowlyclimbing]

She is not a student unfortunately 

[Jnbmom]

---

@slowlyclimbing wrote:

She is not a student unfortunately 

---

Well she can still apply for the discover card have her check the prequalify site .

[Bankrupt2019]

Personally I'd get 3 cards right out of the gate and start building a profile.

here's links for Discover and Capital One pre-qualification 

https://www.discovercard.com/application/preapproval/initial?ICMPGN=PUB_HDR_CARDS_PQ


https://www.capitalone.com/credit-cards/preapprove/?external_id=WWW_XXXXX_ZZZ_ONL-SE_ZZZZZ_T_SEM2_ZZ...

[Loquat]

OP I agree with @Jnbmom.  I would start with someone like Discover.  They seem to be pretty decent with new, clean files.  The limit may not be extremely high but I don't think that'd be needed anyway as a starter card.  CapOne is also an option but I'd really try with Discover first.

I don't agree with the getting 3 new cards out of the gate.  I think it's overkill for a new profile and even more so for someone new to having credit on their own.  After being around these here parts for quite some time now, I've adopted the mindset that more isn't better when you're just getting out of the gate.

Best of luck to your daughter as she starts out on her financial journey. 

[Bankrupt2019]

---

@Loquat wrote:

OP I agree with @Jnbmom.  I would start with someone like Discover.  They seem to be pretty decent with new, clean files.  The limit may not be extremely high but I don't think that'd be needed anyway as a starter card.  CapOne is also an option but I'd really try with Discover first.

I don't agree with the getting 3 new cards out of the gate.  I think it's overkill for a new profile and even more so for someone new to having credit on their own.  After being around these here parts for quite some time now, I've adopted the mindset that more isn't better when you're just getting out of the gate.

Best of luck to your daughter as she starts out on her financial journey. 

---

You're probably right, I based my "3 out of the gate" on already knowing what I'm doing  and wanting to start a base for AAoA later.

[Jnbmom]

---

@Loquat wrote:

OP I agree with @Jnbmom.  I would start with someone like Discover.  They seem to be pretty decent with new, clean files.  The limit may not be extremely high but I don't think that'd be needed anyway as a starter card.  CapOne is also an option but I'd really try with Discover first.

I don't agree with the getting 3 new cards out of the gate.  I think it's overkill for a new profile and even more so for someone new to having credit on their own.  After being around these here parts for quite some time now, I've adopted the mindset that more isn't better when you're just getting out of the gate.

Best of luck to your daughter as she starts out on her financial journey. 

---

+1

I also agree you don't need to get 3 cards right out of the gate . Have her try discover ( I prefer them way over cap one) and let her build from there . Wait 6 months and she may get some preaporovals sent to her .

Slow and steady 

[fatcomic]

I agree with Discover, their CS is awesome and she will probably still qualify for their student card.   I feel she will grow a better future relationship with Discover than with CapOne as well, CapOne doesn't seem interesting in growing credit limits and relationships right now.

Also, Disco offers 2 flavors of student cards, a traditional 5% revolving category card with 1% on all other purchases or a 2% on dining and gas with 1% on all other purchases.   CapOne is going to max at 1.5% that is if she qualifies for a no fee QS, otherwise the cash back will be less.  She might as well take advantage of the most cashback too.    

[thornback]

If she has a bank account/good relationship history, you could start there too. 

I'd start her with just one card for the first year so she can become accustomed to managing her own credit.  Then add another, and 6 months later another (assuming she's doing well).  Then let all 3 just age for a while.