Credit cards

I'm looking into applying for a credit card. I want to start to build credit for when we get a mortgage. It's all a big mesh when I read about them. I don't have any credit and I really don't know where to begin. What credit card do you have? And what advice can you give a credit virgin?

I got a platinum VISA credit card when I opened my bank account with HSBC within a week of arriving here.  I now get offers in the mail for all types of credit cards.  I even got an offer to get a Platinum Amex charge card, unfortunately, the annual fee is £375.

You may want to find out if your bank as a credit card to offer you and start by paying off your bills every month and before you know it, you also will be getting "spam" in the mail.   

I got a free HSBC Mastercard when I opened by "Plus" current account. No annual fee and 5,000 pound limit. (which shocked me because I've never been offered a $10,000 limit in the USA upfront!)

God, the two of you must have deposited some impressive chunks of cash! 

I couldn't believe how easy it was to get a credit card here.  I walked into my local HSBC last Saturday and said I wanted to open an account.  They opened me a no-fee current account, and then they asked if I would also like a no-annual-fee credit card.  Um, YES!  It was pretty instantaneous.  Only a £500 limit, though, until I get a real job.  In the meantime, I am building credit, which is important to me.

I got one through my bank, when my husband switched his account to a joint current one after our marriage.  We've also got a joint one through the post office.

I got a platinum VISA credit card when I opened my bank account with HSBC within a week of arriving here. 

Not to rain on your parade and downplay your plantinumness, but I don't understand the platinum credit card thing anymore.  Didn't used to be that only very high limit cards have platinum status?  I'm asking because I'm just a student and even I have a platinum card as do many of my student friends?!  It's kinda funny how everyone has a platinum now, does it even mean anything anymore?  

We're all just platinum plus baby!!!  

It actually took me a while to get credit here. But after I'd had a cash account for six months with regular deposits going into it, Halifax offered me a current account and a credit card. But my credit score is still pretty low since I only have two years' worth of addresses and one credit card. I just applied for a loan to get a car and was turned down.  

Not to rain on your parade and downplay your plantinumness, but I don't understand the platinum credit card thing anymore.  Didn't used to be that only very high limit cards have platinum status?  I'm asking because I'm just a student and even I have a platinum card as do many of my student friends?!  It's kinda funny how everyone has a platinum now, does it even mean anything anymore?  

We're all just platinum plus baby!!!  

When one has no credit history in the UK, it is difficult to get a plain credit card, let alone a platinum one.  When you get here, you will see.   

I had the same problem, no UK credit and the credit reporting agencies on both coasts don't talk to each other. Capital One did approve me for a card with a 200.00 Pound deposit which equals a 200.00 Pound credit limit.

I will have to try HSBC if it works?

Thanks for the suggestion.

Unfortunately we/I now have TOOOO much credit


All of ours are plat. We have been offered the black Lloyd's TSB bank account but hubby don't wanna go there!

I'm planning to bank with NatWest. Anyone have any idea how tough it will be to obtain a credit card through them? Or, should I look elsewhere? Thanks!

When one has no credit history in the UK, it is difficult to get a plain credit card, let alone a platinum one.  When you get here, you will see.   

Really?  That's funny because my DF doesn't really have a credit history but he says companies send him cards all the time and it's dead easy to get one.  Hmmm, I'm going to have to check into this!

I got a Mint card after one year of being here (didn't try before)...as well as an IKEA card.  Both were no problem and it's nice to be building credit!

No, I did not put a big deposit down to get my high limit. I think I deposted all of 100 pounds when I opened my account. The only thing they demanded was for our paychecks to be automatically deposted into the HSBC account.

And ya'll are right about Platinum. It doesn't mean squat anymore.  The real Holy Grail of credit cards now, IMHO, is the black American Express card.  When you see it, you know the person is probably rich, a celebrity or both.