What Should You Do If You Get Turned Down For A Credit Card?

So you've gone through the long and terrible process of giving your details, only to find that you got turned down. This can feel a little insulting, like a rejection, especially if you feel like you could easily handle the card in question. So what can you do if it happens?

Try, Try Again.

Don't get upset if you're turned down at one company - they might have some strange requirement that you happen not to meet. Always try three before you start to despair.

Whatever you do, though, don't spend a whole day applying for every credit card you can find, just to see if anyone will take you. Each check is counted, and lots of checks on your record make you look desperate, making it even less likely you'll get a good card - this is known as 'shotgunning' your credit.

Get Your Credit Report.

Send off to the credit reference agencies to get copies of your credit reports. There might be something incorrect on there that's making you look bad, and you need to get it corrected if there is. Make sure you do all this in writing, so there are records of it - don't phone up and let them fob you off.

Phone the Company.

It's not a good idea to always deal with credit card companies by post or on the Internet - you should try to phone them up and speak to a real person. This way, you can tell them all your circumstances, make sure everything went through correctly, and question them if you get turned down. If you directly ask why you haven't been accepted, then they usually have to tell you.

If you're willing to be pushy, you might even get the decision reverse. If the person you got through to won't budge, then always ask for their supervisor before you hang up.

Apply for a Less Prestigious Card.

Yes, I know, it sounds bad - but you want a credit card, don't you? Get a high-rate card from the company whose card you want, and then pay it off on time each month. You're building your credit rating. The chances are that you'll be able to persuade the company to replace your card with the lower-rate one after a few months.

If you have a very bad credit rating, you might find that you are only offered secured cards. These cards require you to make a cash deposit before you can start using them. It's worth saving up the deposit and using the card for a while, though, as you'll usually be offered a normal card quite quickly, as long as you don't do anything terrible with the secured one.

If that all sounds like too much trouble, then you might like to try a pre-paid credit card. These cards must be loaded with money in advance, but from then on work like a normal credit card - except you don't pay any interest or fees! Well worth it if you only wanted a card for the convenience anyway.