Start Building or Rebuilding

Whether you’re just getting started or trying to recover from past financial challenges, building personal credit is one of the most important steps you can take toward financial freedom. At My Credit Results, we believe in empowering you with the right tools and education to help you grow a strong, healthy credit profile. This guide breaks down the best options and resources for both beginners and those looking to rebuild.

PART 1: BUILDING CREDIT FROM SCRATCH

If you’ve never had a credit card or loan before, you don’t have a credit history. Here’s how to safely build one:

1. Apply for a Secured Credit Card

A secured credit card requires a refundable deposit that acts as your credit limit. These are great for first-timers.

Recommended Option:

• Discover It® Secured Credit Card
  www.discover.com/secured-credit-card
  • No annual fee
  • Earn cash back
  • Reports to all 3 credit bureaus

2. Become an Authorized User

Ask someone with good credit to add you as an authorized user on their credit card. You don’t need to use the card.

Benefits:

• You inherit their positive payment history
• Can increase your average age of credit
• No credit check required

3. Open a Credit Builder Account

These are installment loans where your payments are saved and reported to the credit bureaus.

Best Options:

• Self
  www.self.inc
  • Start building with as little as $25/month
  • Reports to all 3 bureaus
  • Unlock savings at the end of the term
  • Get a $10 discount using referral link: https://www.self.inc/refer/%5Breferral_id%5D

Rental Kharma

https://www.rentalkharma.com/

• Rental Kharma is a credit building service that reports your rent payments to major credit bureaus, helping you enhance your credit profile without taking on new debt. 

• Pricing

  • One-Time Setup Fee: $75 for reporting past rent payments.
  • Monthly Membership: $8.95 for ongoing rent reporting.
  • Add a Spouse or Roommate: $25 setup fee plus $5/month.
  • Expedited Service: Free expedited service available.  
• Get a discount using code: Mycreditresults

• CreditStrong
  www.creditstrong.com
  • Larger term options than Self
  • No upfront security deposit
  • Long-term credit-building solution
  • Earn $25 using referral link: https://creditstrong.referralrock.com/l/3HENRYP22/

4. Report Your Rent & Bills

Turn everyday payments into credit-building opportunities.

• BoomPay – www.boompay.app
  • $2/month
  • Reports your rent to all 3 credit bureaus
• Experian Boost – www.experian.com/boost
  • Free
  • Reports your phone, utility, and streaming payments to Experian only
• RentReporters – www.rentreporters.com
  • Can report up to 2 years of rent history
  • Ideal for quick boosts in score

PART 2: REBUILDING AND STRENGTHENING EXISTING CREDIT

If you’ve made some mistakes or experienced financial hardships, you can still bounce back.

1. Check and Dispute Credit Report Errors

Incorrect data can hurt your score. Always monitor your reports.

• Annual Credit Report – www.annualcreditreport.com
  • Get FREE reports weekly from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion

2. Pay Down Credit Card Balances

Keep your credit utilization below 30%, ideally under 10%.

Example: If your card limit is $1000, try not to owe more than $300 at a time.

Bonus Tip: Ask for a credit limit increase (without a hard pull) to lower your utilization faster.

3. Use Credit Monitoring Tools

Stay on top of your progress and protect your identity.

• Credit Karma – www.creditkarma.com
  • Free monitoring and recommendations (TransUnion and Equifax)
• IdentityIQ ($1.00 Down) Yes! $1.00 down.
• – Sign Up with My Referral Link
  • Offers 3-bureau reports, identity protection, and dispute tools
  • Perfect for clients working with My Credit Results

4. Use Unsecured Credit Cards to Rebuild

Unlike secured cards, unsecured credit cards don’t require a deposit. Some banks offer beginner-friendly cards with low fees.

TOP UNSECURED CREDIT CARDS FOR CREDIT BUILDING

Here are trusted banks and financial institutions offering cards designed for people with limited or rebuilding credit:

Capital One

• Capital One Platinum Credit Card
  www.capitalone.com
  • No annual fee
  • Reports to all bureaus
  • Great for building without rewards

Mission Lane

• Mission Lane Visa®
  www.missionlane.com
  • No deposit required
  • Designed for fair/poor credit
  • Pre-qualify with soft inquiry

Avant

• Avant Credit Card
  www.avant.com
  • Fair approval odds
  • No deposit
  • Monthly payments report to all bureaus

Petal Card

• Petal® 1 “No Annual Fee” Visa®
  www.petalcard.com
  • No annual fee
  • Uses income and bank data (not just credit score)
  • Cash back rewards included

Mercury Financial

• Mercury® Mastercard®
  www.mercurycards.com
  • Invitation-based (mail offer or eligibility check)
  • Good for rebuilding
  • No deposit needed

Ollo Card

• Ollo Platinum Mastercard®
  www.ollocard.com
  • Invitation only
  • No annual fee for some offers
  • Reports to all bureaus

Upgrade

• Upgrade Visa® with Cash Rewards
  www.upgrade.com
  • Blends a credit card and installment loan
  • Offers 1.5% cash back on payments
  • Great for budgeting and rebuilding

Credit One Bank

• Platinum Rewards Visa
  www.creditonebank.com
  • Fair to poor credit accepted
  • 1% cashback options
  • Annual fees may apply depending on creditworthiness

Aspire Credit Card

• Aspire® Mastercard®
  www.aspire.com
  • Accepts low scores
  • High fees, but good for rebuilding with caution
  • Reports to all 3 credit bureaus

PART 3: HEALTHY CREDIT HABITS TO KEEP FOR LIFE

Once you’ve started or rebuilt your credit, these habits will help you maintain it:

• Pay on Time – Even one late payment can cost 100+ points
• Keep Old Accounts Open – Longer history = stronger profile
• Avoid Too Many Applications – Each one can cause a temporary dip
• Diversify Your Credit – A mix of revolving (credit cards) and installment (loans) is ideal
• Monitor Regularly – Use IdentityIQ or Credit Karma to stay updated

“Every credit journey is different, so we create a personalized game plan tailored to your unique credit situation. No one-size-fits-all solutions here just strategies built for you.”

Start monitoring and protecting your credit today:

Get started - Click here to sign up with IdentityIQ