ke a standard run of the mill credit cards you are familiar with.

Cons - One of the major drawbacks to this type of card is that to secure the card you must put down a $200 to $250 deposit with your application. For many this may be a tuff requirement. These cards also tend to have much higher interest rates (15% or higher) and additional charges such as an annual fee (usually aro

In this day and age where most people have easy access to a consumer credit, Americans are finding themselves sinking deeper and deeper into debt. Racking up a mere $10,000 in debt is now easy and all too common.

As being the pressures of mounting consumer debt becomes an issue for more and more people, the demand for legitimate and proven ways to rebuild your credit history is on the rise. The word "budget" conjures up extreme images of depriving oneself of the foods one likes or more extreme visions of starving oneself pop up. However, a proven formula for debt management and the rebuilding personal credit and credit scores using a specific type of credit card dispels such visions.

Not only are these credit cards beneficial, they also provide for some consumers the only way out, especially if they've been denied a bank account or traditional credit card. Given that it takes two incomes in most households and a great majority of men and women both are in the workforce these days, there is hardly any time to prepare budgets and investigate ways to increase their credit scores.

They say a journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step. Let's take our first step and evaluate both secured and pre-paid credit cards and the pros and cons of each for your situation.

Secured Credit Cards

Pros - Opening a secured credit card account is a simple and affordable way to start building your credit. Secured credit cards will also help you improve and rebuild damaged credit. These cards are used exactly like a standard run of the mill credit cards you are familiar with.

Cons - One of the major drawbacks to this type of card is that to secure the card you must put down a $200 to $250 deposit with your application. For many this may be a tuff requirement. These cards also tend to have much higher interest rates (15% or higher) and additional charges such as an annual fee (usually aro

the rise. The word "budget" conjures up extreme images of depriving oneself of the foods one likes or more extreme visions of starving oneself pop up. However, a proven formula for debt management and the rebuilding personal credit and credit scores using a specific type of credit card dispels such visions.

Not only are these credit cards beneficial, they also provide for some consumers the only way out, especially if they've been denied a bank account or traditional credit card. Given that it takes two incomes in most households and a great majority of men and women both are in the workforce these days, there is hardly any time to prepare budgets and investigate ways to increase their credit scores.

They say a journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step. Let's take our first step and evaluate both secured and pre-paid credit cards and the pros and cons of each for your situation.

Secured Credit Cards

Pros - Opening a secured credit card account is a simple and affordable way to start building your credit. Secured credit cards will also help you improve and rebuild damaged credit. These cards are used exactly like a standard run of the mill credit cards you are familiar with.

Cons - One of the major drawbacks to this type of card is that to secure the card you must put down a $200 to $250 deposit with your application. For many this may be a tuff requirement. These cards also tend to have much higher interest rates (15% or higher) and additional charges such as an annual fee (usually aro

mers the only way out, especially if they've been denied a bank account or traditional credit card. Given that it takes two incomes in most households and a great majority of men and women both are in the workforce these days, there is hardly any time to prepare budgets and investigate ways to increase their credit scores.

They say a journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step. Let's take our first step and evaluate both secured and pre-paid credit cards and the pros and cons of each for your situation.

Secured Credit Cards

Pros - Opening a secured credit card account is a simple and affordable way to start building your credit. Secured credit cards will also help you improve and rebuild damaged credit. These cards are used exactly like a standard run of the mill credit cards you are familiar with.

Cons - One of the major drawbacks to this type of card is that to secure the card you must put down a $200 to $250 deposit with your application. For many this may be a tuff requirement. These cards also tend to have much higher interest rates (15% or higher) and additional charges such as an annual fee (usually aro

step. Let's take our first step and evaluate both secured and pre-paid credit cards and the pros and cons of each for your situation.

Secured Credit Cards

Pros - Opening a secured credit card account is a simple and affordable way to start building your credit. Secured credit cards will also help you improve and rebuild damaged credit. These cards are used exactly like a standard run of the mill credit cards you are familiar with.

Cons - One of the major drawbacks to this type of card is that to secure the card you must put down a $200 to $250 deposit with your application. For many this may be a tuff requirement. These cards also tend to have much higher interest rates (15% or higher) and additional charges such as an annual fee (usually aro

ke a standard run of the mill credit cards you are familiar with.

Cons - One of the major drawbacks to this type of card is that to secure the card you must put down a $200 to $250 deposit with your application. For many this may be a tuff requirement. These cards also tend to have much higher interest rates (15% or higher) and additional charges such as an annual fee (usually around $50). Despite these drawbacks, for many looking to rebuild their credit, these cards make sense.

Pre-Paid Credit Cards

Pros- Pre-Paid Credit Cards can be a great tool because they provide you with the freedom and flexibility of using your own cash. These cards look like real credit cards and can be used for just about any situation that requires a credit card. Instead of granting you a credit limit based on your financial standing, these accounts require you to "load" the card with your own money. Yeah, real cash. Approval for this type of card is easy and almost guaranteed, even if you have credit problems.

Cons - If you are looking to rebuild or establish your credit however, beware. These cards may not report your repayment history to the credit bureaus. If the creditor does not report your account, this type of account will not help you improve your credit. By carefully selecting these cards, you can assure yourself that you receive the most bangs for your proverbial buck.

You might also consider that Pre-paid cards cannot be used in all situations. For example: hotels and car rental agencies may not allow you to use a pre-paid credit card to secure your rentals. It's always a good idea to call ahead first and ask each company their policy before entering into any transaction.