Applied for a credit card and didn't tell DH

[stiltonontoast]

I have bad credit history - defaults, ccj's the lot. Not great at being sensible with money (clearly) but have been good for 6+ years now.

Applied for a credit card thinking I'd get turned down - I was successful. Limit is just £200 so thinking I can use it to build up my credit rating / prove I can be trusted with money a bit.

I haven't told DH yet, not sure if I should.

AIBU?

Having a credit card doesn’t change in any way what you can afford. If you can’t genuinely think that way don’t have one.
If you do have one, tell your dh. Given your past he would be right to feel betrayed if he found out (and he would)

Oh dear. now I'm going to have £200 at my disposal temptation is luring me. that is not good money management mindset.

Cut up the card OP. Or maybe ask DH to look after it for you.

The fact you weren't honest proves that you still can't be trusted.

Call them and cancel it now. If it comes cut it up and then call and cancel.

My husband got us in to debt and I ended up bailing him out. One of the deals was that I would leave him if he had secretly taken out a credit card again and got us into debt. It's a trust thing and you may be breaking that fragile trust.

Cancel card and tell your husband (if normally supportive) you had a wobble. You’re basically setting yourself up to fail by getting a card and keeping a secret. I’m your heart of hearts, you know exactly what will happen if you continue on this course. Think about future you, and have her back by cancelling card!

I use mine for petrol and immediately transfer what I've spent to another account.

The OP doesn't sound as though she feels safe with hers though.

I get you op, I'm in a similar boat with bad credit but I'm just wondering why you really bothered to apply if you thought you would be turned down?
If you're "ridiculously poor" then you would struggle to pay off the balance surely?

If it is genuinely wanted to re build your credit rating then I would buy something you need ( rather than want ) for no more than £100 then cut it up and pay it off, this will show good payment on your credit score but will not be a huge temptation for you. I know how easy it is!

Alternatively, put it in the freezer

I’m in the same position as your husband and I’d be furious if DH applied for a credit card without telling me. If he told me and let me be involved I’d be ok with it

"now I'm going to have £200 at my disposal "

You're not though are you?

HRTFT I used to be dreadful with money, but paid off all overdrafts and CC debts finally. I then put a limit of five hundred on my CC and have never allowed 'them' to raise that limit. For years I used to clear it completely every month, it's crept up a bit now since I had expensive vet bills, but it's still under three hundred and I'll get back to zero over the next few months.

I do think that if you (like OP and me) have had a big fright in the past it's possible to finally become sensible.

It's important to remember though that the limit is not the same thing as 'having' the money. It's creating another debt.

The only way you having a credit card would be a good idea would be if you used it for a small essential purchase, such as a tank of petrol, and paid it off in full every month - set up a direct debit for the full amount.

That's how you can use it to build your credit rating. However, if you ever see the credit limit as free money, that's the start of a slippery slope to financial disaster again.

Have you paid him back for the bail out money? Why can't you afford clothes and treats? High rent/poor wages? Is there anything you can change to improve this?

OP just change the word 'credit' to 'debt'.

Do you want £200+ debt?

You say you are already incredibly poor to adding debt isn't going to make that any better is it.

Cut the card.

Zoflorabore's advice is sound. Having read back in the thread a bit I think you're already leaning towards running the CC up to the max :(

Who are you trying to prove your money trustworthiness to?

Yourself? you know that you have learned to deal in cash,budget and not spend money you haven't got. Dump the card.

Your husband? You have just proved yourself to be untrustworthy by applying for a credit card behind his back. Dump the card.

I would if I were you.

What do you need a credit card for. More credit you say. This is a really bad idea.

Credit cards love people like you.

Get in debt again and your DH might take MN advise and LTB.

Think you are already on a downward spiral if your tempted to spend money that isn't yours.

I think it depends on the reason you applied in the first place. Tell him your plan to use it responsibly to build your credit rating and have a plan for this too i.e 'I will use it once a week to put fuel in the car up to £30' (or whatever amount you can comfortably pay back in full)
Another option is to let him be in charge of the card if you think you can't trust yourself to not be silly with it - regardless of who is using it (responsibly) you'r credit score will get better over time.
I have had issues with credit card debt in the past and I'm still getting out of it (though my debt is down to a family member getting a credit card in my name without telling me, not my own immaturity with money management) don't let yourself get back into you old habits if you help it - tell your DH

Cancel the card. I bet it’s high interest isn’t it?

The £200 won’t help your credit rating, it actually has a negative impact if the limit is less than £1000. I didn’t realise until it was one of the negative points on my Experian report. The wording was ‘your lowest revolving credit account is less than £1000’ or something similar.

You’ll be paying ridiculous interest and the limit will quickly increase. I think you’ll find yourself in serious trouble again within a year.

Under normal circumstance I would say do what the hell you want, but if you're expecting dh to bail you out when if this goes tits up then yabvu not to tell him. And given your history, the sensible thing to do would be to introduce the card to a pair of scissors.

It’s totally understandable that you want a few treats, but look at it this way - if you can’t afford to buy them, you can’t afford them on credit.

All that will happen will be that you’ll be £200 worse off and have to find the repayments out of your monthly money. And then the interest will kick in.

I’ve been there and it’s a slippery slope.

Sorry OP. Cancel the application - and be honest with your DH. You’d expect the same from him.

If you are married, you need to tell him. Once married debts become shared don't they?

Why do you need to build your credit rating? If for a mortgage, then fair enough, but you need to use your credit card in a controlled way - I'd suggest with your DH's support as it doesn't sound like you trust yourself.

If you've no plans to get a mortgage, then you are building up your credit rating to enable you to get more into debt ... does that sound like a good plan?

This is a sign that your previous ways could encroach on your lives again.

Get on the honesty train as soon as possible, get it all out in the open and run everything you do past the responsible one so you can get good advice. Seriously. Good luck with your financial rehabilitation

I would probably say to my dp I had changed card providers, but it wouldn't occur to 'ask permission'. However, he's never had to bail me out or pay for my card.

I would say what you said here, you opened an account and expected to be rejected. They've agreed a £200 limit and your planning on trying to improve your credit rating.

He may be annoyed, but ultimately it's your choice.