Being without a credit card is not wise either; without an established credit history that speaks borrowing and repayment trends you may not get a regular loan. A regular loan requires lines of credit. Establishing lines of credit will not be possible without a credit card or any other kind of loan.

• Making mini purchases with your bad credit credit card and repaying it on time will be sufficient to start your credit history .

• Resolving errors in your bills like bills for purchases you did not make and getting it rectified on time helps to avoid unnecessary interests and credit score negatives.

• Stick on to making payments on time and before it is due.

• Speak to the creditor about ways to rectify a single non-repayment and related defaults.

• Learn the interest rates offered by the bad credit credit card and your affordability to use them before you sign up to get the card.

• Try to avoid using the cash advance facility in these cards as the associated charges for these services are very high. Use them rarely or for better never use them.

• Never give your credit card details to anonymous enquiries.

• File the customer copy of your credit card usage for possible discrepancies that may arise in the future.

• Tabulate the total amount due, minimum amount due and keep a close watch on how each of your payments does in the credit reports. Rectify credit reporting errors periodically.

Loans are a sign of privilege, where a bank trusts a citizen for some money and a bad credit credit card is that extra privilege, a second chance, and it would be unwise to treat these cards frivolously. That extra planning of income and spending is a requisite to play a fair game with these cards. Using a bad credit credit card for regular utilities does pay in the form of reward points and credit scores, but repaying the used amount before the billing date could be the wise way out. Any slip like minimum payments is like welcoming the next cycle of troubles.