Apply online for a credit card to establish brand-new credit? This might sound like poor or unworkable advice. But if you apply online for a credit card and it’s the right type of credit card, you are pretty certain of being accepted for the credit card. And you’ll be on your way to establishing a good credit record for yourself.

So what kind of credit card am I referring to when I suggest you apply online for a credit card?

I’m referring to a secured credit card.

For those folks unfamiliar with the term “secured credit card” here’s the basics of how the program works.

The person with no credit (you) apply online for a credit card with a bank offering a secured credit card. You make a deposit (that you’ll will not be able to touch) with the bank to act as security for your credit card. The deposit secures the credit card; hence the term “secured credit card”.

When you apply online for a secured credit card, you are likely to be approved unless you have extremely poor existing credit. That’s because the bank has very little risk – your deposit will cover your use of the credit being extended to you.

There are things to consider when you apply online for a secure credit card. The terms for your credit card are going to include a relatively high interest rate. The bank is taking a risk on a person with no credit history (or a poor one) and so they exact as much profit as they legally can. There might also be fees that folks with great credit won’t be charged; they may me called “annual membership fees” or “participation fees”.