I was afraid of credit cards. Here are 6 things I learned while getting my first one.
Here are 6 things I learned while getting my first credit card.
Madison Hoehn is a Certified Financial Education Instructor℠ and editor at Bankrate. She joined the Bankrate team in 2024, bringing over six years of editorial expertise to her work. She’s passionate about making every reader feel seen and meeting them no matter where they are in their financial journey.
Prior to her work at Bankrate, Madison wrote and edited content for BestColleges, specializing in alternative education such as coding bootcamps and trade schools. Her experience also took her to Viident Co., an independent publishing company, where she worked alongside authors to finalize their upcoming books for publication.
When she’s not editing for Bankrate, she enjoys yoga, trying her hand at new soup recipes, and writing creatively.
Madison obtained her bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Miami University.
Being a first-time homeowner, taking out a loan or starting a new credit line can be intimidating. Today's surplus of information can make you feel like you have a million different sources telling you how to handle your finances in a million different ways and you may not know how to cut through the noise.
The key to finding confidence in credit card usage is getting back to the basics. There’s a plethora of options to choose from, but determining what you value most in your life is a sure way to determine which card will work best for you. In a world with advice coming at you from all sides, it’s important for you to become an expert on you.
It’s never too late to start learning how to use credit cards the right way. No matter your credit history, you can always start building confidence in your financial decisions today.
— Madison Hoehn, CFEI
Here’s what you need to know to pick your first card if you have no credit history.
Learn about the rules that can determine your eligibility for an Amex credit card.
Merchant category codes can help consumers earn more with rewards credit cards.
Visa and Mastercard are card networks that offer similar protections and benefits.
The Citi Simplicity is worth considering if you have a debt balance to pay off.
Before signing up for deferred interest offers, understand their potential costs.
TSA PreCheck is a program that lets you breeze through airport security lines.
VantageScore is one way creditors can understand the risk of working with borrowers.