How to Get a Credit Card Instantly

Getting a credit card instantly should not be a problem for anyone with good to excellent credit. Most credit card companies are more than willing to provide a customer in good credit standing with the credit card of his or her choice. There are a few items that should be in place that will almost guarantee instant acceptance with a credit card. Being a good steward of your current credit obligations is the most effective way to rise your credit score, which will enable you to get a credit card instantly.

Instructions

Pay on Time

1. Pay all of your current credit obligations on time, every time. This is the number one way to raise your credit score. The higher your credit score, the faster you will be given credit.

2. Set up your payments a week in advance so they will not be late. You can either mail them a week before they're due or you can set up online payment with your bank.

3. Call your credit card company if you feel like your payment may not get there in time and inform them when you mailed the payment. This can avoid any confusion and forgiveness if the payment does arrive a day late.

Maintin a Good Debt-to-Income Ratio

1. Maintain a good debt-to-income ratio. According to Care One, debt relief services, a person should maintain a debt lower than 36 percent of his or her income.

2. If your ratio is off the charts with too much debt, you may want to transfer some of your debt to your spouse or borrow money from a family member to get your debt portion lower.

3. Pay off as much of your debt as possible to make your debt-to-income ratio as appealing as possible, even if you have to use your savings to do so.

Respond to Pre-Approvals

1. Respond to pre-approval direct mailings or emails for the fastest decisions on getting a credit card.

2. Call, log on through the Internet or send the mail piece back to the creditor. They have already reviewed your credit and are inviting you to open a card with their company.

3. You should receive instant approval once you respond to the advertisement. The credit card itself may take a week or so to arrive at your house.

Tips & Warnings

• Always consult a financial adviser when it comes to making any major credit decisions.

References

• MSN Money: 9 Ways to Build Credit From Scratch
• Care One: Understanding Your Debt-to-Income Ratio
• Consumer Info: What is a Credit Score?

Resources

• Financial Planning