text: what is the best credit card for me? if i am 19, have never had a credit card before, have never been in debt, don't really have a credit record (i presume), am planning to pay off my balance every month, and am planning to use it for online purchases?  how can i compare interest rates, etc? what are some good questions to ask when getting a credit card? first, i'd suggest going to one of the credit bureaus websites and ordering a credit score. this will let you know where you stand as far as credit rating, which affects the interest rates available to you. it might be difficult not having much of a credit history to get an unsecured card, so i'd recommend finding a financial institution that offers a secured card. you secure the card by giving the bank money equal to the credit limit you want. they hold it for you in "escrow" so if you don't pay your bills, they withdraw the amount you didn't pay.   interest rate doesn't really matter if you pay off your balance each month, but its very easy to carry a balance and i speak from experience. you can shop for credit cards at sites like bankrate.com and cardweb.com. good luck!