Here's Why You Should Apply For Credit Card Against FD

However, there is another way to get you a credit card. You can apply for a credit card against your Fixed Deposits (FDs). Investing money in fixed deposits is extremely popular as many banks provide the best fd rates and let its customer earn good returns. You can check banks like HDFC Bank to find out about HDFC Bank FD rates. If you have been trying to get a credit card for long, try applying for a credit card against your fixed deposit, also known as a secure credit card.

Secure Credit Card

Banks have the provision of allowing their customers to apply for credit cards against existing fixed deposits. A secure credit card is a type of credit card that can be requested against an existing fixed deposit with a bank. If you don’t have a fixed deposit, you can open it at a bank that offers the best FD rates and eventually applies for a secure credit card. For instance, if you want an HDFC Bank credit card, you can check the HDFC Bank FD rates and open a fixed deposit.

The good part about a secure credit card is that you can obtain it on an affordable FD amount of Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000, depending on your bank. However, your FD amount plays an important role in determining your credit card limit. Most banks fix 75% to 85% of the FD amount as the limit of the credit card. Therefore, the higher the amount of your FD, the higher will be your credit card limit.

No Consideration to Credit History

A major consideration by banks before issuing a credit card to a customer is to check his/ her credit history. A person’s credit history allows the bank to determine how likely the applicant is to pay his/her credit card bill on time.  You need to have a decent credit history to be able to obtain a credit card. If you have a poor credit history then your bank will reject your credit card application.

But in case of a secure credit card, people with poor or no credit history can also get a credit card. This is because your credit history will not be considered as eligibility criteria to obtain a credit card against your fixed deposits. On the contrary, you can use a secure credit card to improve your credit history or CIBIL score by making timely payments.

No Need for Income Proof

Banks prefer giving credit cards to customers with stable income. People with regular income are less likely to miss paying their credit card bill on time than people with irregular income. As a result, credit card applicants are required to present documents supporting their proof of income at the time of applying for a regular credit card. If your income does not meet the minimum income criteria of your bank, your credit card application will get rejected.

However, this is not the case in a secure credit card. Banks do not ask their customers for any proof of income as fixed deposits are considered as proof of financial security. In fact, people with low income can also get a higher credit card limit with the help of their fixed deposit amount. Thus, it is a better alternative for people seeking a credit card but has poor income.

Lesser Paperwork

In order to get a regular credit card, many documents are required to be submitted in the bank. These documents include proof of income, identification proof, proof of residence, etc. Only after the bank is satisfied with all your documents, it will issue you a credit card. The procedure can be a little lengthy and time-consuming.

On the other hand, applying for a credit card against your fixed deposit is a much easier and quicker process. The paperwork involved is minimal since you already have an account in the bank and it has most of the required documents. Other documents like proof of income loose importance in a secure credit card as your fixed deposit act as a security deposit. In fact, most banks only ask for identification proof and issue a secure credit card within five to seven working days.

Enjoy Perks of a Credit Card & Fixed Deposit

Owning a regular credit card has a lot of advantages like free travel insurance, personal accident cover, reward points, etc. But having a credit card against your fixed deposit has added advantages. You are able to enjoy the perks of a credit card along with the benefits of investing in a fixed deposit. Banks provide the best FD rates and the interest that you earn on your deposits adds to the advantages of a credit card. For instance, if you have a secure credit card of HDFC bank, you enjoy the HDFC Bank FD rates on your fixed deposit along with the perks attached to your HDFC Credit Card. Moreover, some banks also provide an initial interest-free period on a secure credit card, ranging from 48 to 55 days.

Over to you!

Fixed deposits that earn interest on the best FD rates can be more useful than you think. Besides helping you to get a loan, it also helps you to apply for a credit card against your fixed deposit. This acts as a boon for people who are unable to get a regular credit card due to insufficient document or poor credit history amongst other reasons. If you happen to be one of those people, contact your bank to apply for a credit card against your existing fixed deposits.