Credit Builder Loans
Have bad credit? No credit at all? We may be able to help you.
Helping you build your credit, whether it’s your first time or your second chance.
Your credit history and score impact your financial future, whether it involves paying for college, buying a car, or signing a lease on your first apartment. Because it’s so important, we offer you two ways to build healthy credit:
- If you don’t have any credit, our Credit Builder loans help you get started and slowly build your credit score.
- Our Second Chance Credit Rebuilder loans give you a chance to repair your low credit score.
We believe in first and second chances.
Credit Builder
There are many reasons why you may not have credit. You could be young and just starting out. An immigrant who is new to our financial system. Or perhaps you’ve operated on cash and haven’t participated in the credit system to date. Whatever the reason, we have a way to help you slowly and securely build your credit score over time.
The Credit Builder process works like this:
- We issue you a Share secured personal loan or Share secured Visa with a small credit limit.
- Get coaching from us on how to use credit wisely
- Make your loan payments on time
- We slowly step up your loan or credit card limit, growing your borrowing capacity along with your credit score.
Tips and steps for healthy credit card use
- Choose your credit cards wisely. Look for low interest rates that last beyond an introductory period, and low or no fees.
- Limit the number of cards you have. Too many cards may mean you’ll use too much credit.
- Keep track of your monthly credit card spending, and budget appropriately.
- Don’t spend more than you can afford to pay each month.
Second Chance Credit Rebuilder
For DC Credit Union members with low credit scores, we offer a loan to help you raise your credit score over time.
We won’t deny you because of your low credit score, but you must be a member in good standing with a checking account and a funding source. We also require that you’ve previously borrowed from DC Credit Union and paid on time.
The Second Chance Credit Rebuilder process works like this:
- We issue you an unsecured loan or credit card with a limit up to $2,500.
- Get coaching from us on how to use credit wisely
- Make your loan payments on time
- We slowly step up your loan or credit card limit, growing your borrowing capacity along with your credit score.
- Once your score has gone above 550, you are a candidate for traditional loans and financing.
Five ways to improve your credit score:
- Pay all of your bills on time every month
- Keep balances low on credit cards, well below the credit limit
- Only open new credit accounts as needed, and don’t open a lot of new accounts too quickly
- If you’ve missed payments, get current and stay current
- If you can’t make payments, contact your creditors to work out a payment plan
Struggling to manage your debt?
Check out our “Manage Your Debt and Finances” guide for helpful tips about how to manage, consolidate and pay off debt, create a budget, and more.
