Are you a fresh graduate asking yourself how to get a credit card for the first time? Before you do, make sure that you have the right qualifications for it. Ask yourself these questions.

What credit card should you apply for?
If you do not have a credit history yet, your options will be a bit limited. You can begin with store credit cards or secured credit cards. If you are still a student, you can qualify for a student credit card.

How will you pay for the balance?
This is an important question to ask. Will your parents pay for them? Or will you get a job while you are in school? If you are a new graduate, make sure that you have a job before you apply for a credit card.

How do you intend to use it?
This is a very important question to ponder on because it will keep you from abusing your credit cards. Even the best first time credit card offer can lead you to debt if you do not know how to use it.

When you have answered these questions, then you are ready to learn how to get a credit card for the first time. Here are the steps that you need to follow.

1. Find out your spending behavior.

This will help you narrow down the credit card type that you will apply for. Like if you intend to use your card to help you pay for groceries, you want to get your first time credit card application from the nearest grocery store.

2. Know the best credit card issuer in the market.

Now that you know your preferred card, you may want to check out the issuers in the market. Read credit card reviews so you know the best option for your specific spending needs. When you find the right one, you can go ahead and look at their application form.

3. Understand the important credit card terms.

In any lesson on how to get a credit card for the first time, you have to know the terms that you will be encountering. These terms include APR, finance charges, grace period, billing cycle and a whole lot more. Know what these mean so you can accomplish the next step.

4. Read and understand the fine print.

This will help you understand the rules governing the use of your credit card. It will help you know the fees, charges and other important details that will help you learn how to use your card well.

5. Learn credit management.

It is not enough that you learn how to get a credit card for the first time, you have to understand how to use it too. This is how you can use it to your advantage – like building up your credit score and staying away from debt.

Applying for a first time credit card is not really complicated but you need to do it properly so you can develop the right habits that will keep you from too much debt.