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Next Millennium Credit Card review: The store card shoppers may want to return

There’s no reason to pay nearly $240 for a card that won’t help you earn rewards and doesn’t help you build credit.

 /  5 min
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Snapshot

2.4

Bankrate rating
Info
Rating: 2.4 stars out of 5

Bottom line

Despite the Next Millennium card being aimed at consumers with poor credit, it offers nothing in the way of helping cardholders to rebuild their credit scores. It’s an expensive card with little to show for its added cost outside of access to the $1,000 credit line that can only be used at the obscure My Unique Outlet online store.

Image of Next Millennium

Next Millennium

*
2.4
Rating: 2.4 stars out of 5
Bankrate score
Info
See Terms
Info
Recommended Credit

N/A

Purchase intro APR

N/A

Regular APR

N/A

Intro offer

Info

N/A

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

On This Page

Next Millennium credit card Overview

If you’re a frequent shopper with bad credit, the Next Millennium credit card (not to be confused with New Millennium Bank) could be worth considering. It’s a catalog card you can only use to shop at My Unique Outlet, an online store that sells merchandise like electronics, beauty products and more.

The Next Millennium credit card has a 0 percent APR, allowing you to purchase products from your favorite brands without paying any interest. It also has a credit limit of up to $1,000, which is higher than the credit limits on most credit cards for poor credit.

If you’ve had trouble qualifying for other credit cards, Next Millennium may be a good option for you because it doesn’t require a credit check.

What are the advantages and disadvantages?

Pros

  • Checkmark

    Applying for this card won’t negatively impact your credit score because it doesn’t require a credit check.

  • Checkmark

    Cardholders will have access to a $1,000 credit limit.

  • Checkmark

    There are no interest charges for balances carried on the card.

Cons

  • Cardholders are limited in how they can use the card; it can only be used at the My Unique Outlet online store.

  • The $29.95 application fee and the $19.95 monthly fee for card benefits make the card an expensive option.

  • The card doesn’t provide a reward structure of any kind.

A deeper look at the current card offer

Quick highlights

  • Rewards rate: N/A
  • Welcome offer: N/A
  • Annual fee: $0 or optional $19.95 monthly fee for card benefits
  • Purchase intro APR: N/A
  • Balance transfer intro APR: N/A
  • Regular APR: N/A

Current sign-up bonus

Unfortunately, the Next Millennium card does not provide a welcome offer. However, you do get to enjoy 0 percent APR for as long as you hold the card, which is a better deal than cards that only have an intro 0 percent APR.

Other cardholder perks

Unlike other store cards, Next Millennium doesn’t offer rewards like cash back or points on purchases. However, if you join its optional membership program, you’ll get discounts on merchandise from My Unique Outlet and a few other benefits outlined below.

Membership perks

Next Millennium’s membership costs $19.95 per month, which adds up to about $240 per year. If you sign up, you’ll get daily discounts at My Unique Outlet, 24/7 roadside assistance and access to a free legal assistance hotline.

Since the membership program only offers a handful of perks for the steep $240 price tag, you should consider how much you shop and if the discounts really warrant the fee. 

Rates and fees

One of the main benefits of the Next Millennium card is its 0 percent APR, which means you won’t pay any interest on purchases. You will have to put a 15 percent down payment on everything you buy and make a minimum payment of 15 percent of your account balance or $25, whichever is greater, every month. If your balance is less than $25, you’ll be required to pay it in full.

On top of the pricey membership fee, if you make a late payment Next Millennium will charge you $10. There’s also a $30 fee for returned payments. Plus, you’ll be charged a $29.95 application fee when you sign up.

How the Next Millennium credit card compares to other catalog and cards for bad credit

Having the right co-branded store card can be worth it if it’s used correctly. Unlike some of the best co-branded store credit cards, the Next Millennium doesn’t offer much to its cardholders. It doesn’t offer anything in the way of rewards—even for purchases made at the issuing My Unique Outlet stores. It’s also lacking in credit-building features. Fortunately, there are other cards—some store cards and some cards for bad credit—that can do more to help you boost your credit and offer rewards.

Image of Next Millennium

Next Millennium

Annual fee

$19.99 (monthly)

Intro offer

N/A

Rewards rate

N/A

Recommended Credit Score

See Terms
Info
Image of Petal® 1 "No Annual Fee" Visa® Credit Card

Petal® 1 "No Annual Fee" Visa® Credit Card

Annual fee

$0

Intro offer

N/A

Rewards rate

2% - 10% cash back
Info

Recommended Credit Score

Fair to Good (580 – 740)
Info

The Next Millennium Credit Card vs. Fingerhut Credit Account issued by WebBank

Similar to the Next Millennium card, WebBank issues the Fingerhut Credit Account to use strictly at the Fingerhut online store. The Fingerhut Credit Account is also geared toward shoppers with bad credit, but it’s accompanied by better credit-building tools. The Fingerhut Account reports to the three credit bureaus, has a decent welcome offer and no annual fee. In contrast, the Next Millennium card touts an expensive annual fee (the $19.95 per month annual fee is optional and does come with additional cardholder benefits), doesn’t report to any of the three credit bureaus and offers no welcome bonus.

The Fingerhut Account does carry a high 29.99 percent APR, whereas the Next Millennium charges no interest on your balances. If you’re a frequent shopper who may carry a balance from month to month, the Next Millennium might be worth a look, but it’s more likely that the Fingerhut would be a better choice overall. The Fingerhut online store has a larger selection of products for shoppers, and the Fingerhut Account has more financial benefits for credit-builders.

The Next Millennium Credit Card vs. The Petal 1 “No Annual Fee” Visa

Though it doesn’t have a fully fleshed-out rewards program, the Petal® 1 “No Annual Fee” Visa® Credit Card (issued by WebBank) can earn cardholders the occasional cash back reward at select merchants. That alone would give it a leg up over the Next Millennium, but it has even more to offer. The Petal 1 is an excellent choice for building credit, and it’s accessible for people with a limited credit history since there’s no recommended credit score requirement.

You could potentially start with a credit limit as high as $5,000 with the Petal 1, and you’re free to use your card anywhere, unlike the restrictive Next Millennium card. Cardholders will pay a steep price to carry a balance on the Petal 1 due to its APR of 25.24% - 34.74% Variable —but overall, it’s a better choice. You’ll get to build your credit and use your card anywhere with the Petal 1.

Best cards to pair with the Next Millennium credit card

The Next Millennium card can only be used to shop at My Unique Outlet and doesn’t offer rewards on purchases, so if you want to earn cash back on everything you buy, consider getting a flat-rate rewards card like the Citi Double Cash® Card. It gives you 1 percent cash back when you make a purchase and an additional 1 percent when you pay it off.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the Next Millennium card isn’t designed to help you improve your credit. So if you have bad credit, you may want to consider pairing it with another card that reports to the three major credit bureaus.

Bankrate’s Take—Is the Next Millennium credit card worth it?

One of the hallmarks of the Next Millennium is its lenient credit requirements. Although you won’t have to undergo a hard credit check to be approved for the Next Millennium, its credit building benefits end there. The Next Millennium card lacks features that come standard with most other credit cards for bad credit. It won’t help you build your credit because it doesn’t report payments to the credit bureaus, and it doesn’t offer rewards or provide a welcome offer of any kind.

The Next Millennium could offer you some savings if you shop at My Unique Outlet—as it doesn’t charge cardholders interest for purchases. Unless you’re a frequent shopper at the My Unique Outlet online store, you’re better off applying for another credit card (no matter what your credit score might be).

All information about the Next Millennium credit card and Fingerhut Advantage Credit Account has been collected independently by Bankrate and has not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.

Written by
Sarah Estime
Former Associate Writer, Credit Cards

As a former staff writer for Bankrate and CreditCards.com, Sarah offers sound advice that will improve your financial life and help simplify topics like travel hacking and credit card rewards.

Edited by Editor, Credit cards

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