One of the Best "starter/credit rebuilding" cards
Written: Jul 04 '04
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Pros: Superb customer service, moderate fees, low APR, generous credit line/increases
Cons: A little quicker than many cards to apply "delinquency" fees.
The Bottom Line: This is the best card I have ever seen in the "starter/credit rebuilding" category. I totally recommend it!
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| hairymon's Full Review: Orchard Bank Credit Card |
I had read reviews about what a great card this is for rebuilding credit, how the fees/interest are reasonable (considering the kind of card it is), customer service is great, and how you get generous credit lines with increases, so I decided to apply. I got a card with a $500 limit and an $89 annual fee, but for having a credit card around and rebuilding credit it was worth it.
As time went on, things improved, both with my credit and with this card. Eventually, I ended up with a $1300 limit and a $59 annual fee.
While I'm sure there's a point that the credit limit increases will stop, it really hasn't just slowed down (last one was $100 increase about 6 months ago) and I'm quite impressed with that.
Their customer service is the best I have seen in this card category. They always treat you with respect and like a "prime customer" not like some "bad credit" credit cards that treat you like you are a delinquent they are collecting a bad debt from.
The most impressive customer service move occurred about a year ago. For two billing cycles in a row, I was about $10 over my credit limit inadvertently. For the third billing cycle, they actually raised my credit limit by $15 so I wouldn't be over! I couldn't believe it (this is not to say that they will let constant "overlimits" slide; a friend of mine who also has this card and has been overlimit frequently has told me they can be quick to charge you the $29 fee, in one case just * one day * after he went over his limit (and by less than 5% at that!).
And their Web Site reflects this as well. There is no fee to make a web payment, and you can make it up to 30 days in advance (or as little as 3 days in advance). Unlike most cards, my payment is taken out of my bank at MIDNIGHT on the day I say and is reflected in my available credit the next day.
So if you are serious about rebuilding your credit or need a good "starter card", this is the one to use! In fact, even with some better card deals now that my credit has improved I am still keeping this one.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
hairymon
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Reviews written: 33
Trusted by: 1 member
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