I’m looking to sign up for my first credit card. What bank do people suggest I go with?
The answer depends on exactly what you are looking for from a credit card. Do you want cash back? 0%interest? Fee free foreign transactions?
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The one that meets your needs.
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To echo the above, it’ll depend what you’re using it for? Do you want 0% interest for a set period so you can buy something big and pay that back? Or are you after an incentive, like cash back? Or to build a better credit score?
I recently got the Tandem cash back credit card, I use it for petrol and larger payments like for holidays (that I have already saved for). This way, I am getting some money back, and have protection on these purchases. I pay it back in full every month so that I don’t accrue any interest.
In the past I have gone for 0% credit cards to give me more time to get the money together, but it wasn’t a great habit to get into and I was living beyond my means at that stage of my life!
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Whatever card you end up with, this is great advice. Try and work a month in advance so you aren’t caught out.
It’s very easy to end up with a maxxed out credit card 
The Money Saving Expert site has some reasonable tools for looking up credit cards that may help?
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Everyone has different desires. I always go for low Apr cards as I like to have a credit card that can be used in an emergency without costing me a fortune. Usually these cards have no interest free period, however, they provide me with instant access to reasonably cheap credit if needed. I use it for all purchases as I get reward points but pay it off in full each month so it doesn’t cost me anything in interest. So for example, at the moment I have an American Express every day rewards low apr card. Large credit limit, 9.9% apr, with reward points. For me that’s the best option. Other people feel differently.
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If you ever pay interest on a reward card, you’ve likely already wiped out the value of any rewards.
You’d be best having an interest free card for any borrowing or to spread the cost of a purchase, and only use a reward card when you can pay it off every month in full.
I am perfectly aware of that. As I said in my post, I do pay it off in full each month. However, the low apr appeals to me for a situation where I desperately need the funds and I couldn’t wait for an interest free card. Even at 9.9% apr it is far cheaper than my overdraft.
Ideally, I’ll never pay interest, but money is tight at the moment and I may need quick access to credit.
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Completely echo that you should get one that suits your financial interest.
For me personally, I wanted to build my credit rating - so I took out a card at a retailer that I shop with more often than not (John Lewis Partnership Card). I do small amounts of spending every month and pay off in full each month - whilst also accuring regular rewards vouchers to spend on John Lewis and Waitrose.
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