Asking an unemployed to open a credit card

[Aviva22]

I am currently actively seeking work and in the middle of interviews and buying my own property. Stressful time. Savings are helpful. My DP who is in stable and very good employment, has his own big house asked me to open a credit card. (I have not got one as I cleared my debt post my divorce). My DP constantly complains about money, tells me about his pension, how amazing life was 20 years ago and how shit life is today (yet he has a well paid job, unsure if savings as he always moans he hasn't got any money, has big house with little mortgage). My DP said that me having a credit card would really help, he offered to pay it off each month. I do not understand how it is helping him if he offers to pay it off anyway, plus he already has credit cards? Why need more? He also seems to think that unemployed person will get a c-card and that debt will benefit my credit rating. Post my divorce I made conscious decision not to get into debt for time being. The worrying bit is that the request from my partner came up as a demand and in a very bully like style. I am unsure about all this. What do you think?

I'd be extremely wary about this.

Why does he need you to have a credit card for him? It sounds like he's in quite a lot of debt to be honest.

Absolutely not! If he fails to pay your credit rating will be ruined.

I mean if you might want any debt at all in the future a credit card you pay off every month would be a good thing for your credit rating, but a cup of coffee would be all you'd need to put on it for this to work.

I'm generally of the belief it is good to keep a credit card at all times anyway. You get extra protection if you buy certain things on there like flights, white goods, tickets, and I always keep one with me when I travel in case of emergency.

'I'm sorry no, I'm not happy having a potential debt for someone else. You've already got credit cards, use those'

He won't use those because they'll be at their max, be very wary of this guy. Soon he'll love you so much he'll move in and rent out his big house...

No.

A very bad idea.

If he needs one he should be able to open one in his name.

Unless you can pay it off yourself dont do it

@Anxious153 that's what I thought! thank you. I do not mind having a credit card like others suggested but once I am back in employment. I agree c-card is good but once the risk is minimised. Atm my situation is too unstable to be adding more uncertainty to it.

It wouldn't matter if you're situation was more stable though. He needs to live within his means and not bring you into it

How, exactly, will you having a credit card help him? What is he expecting you to use it for? And what happens if you get to the end of the month and he says he can't pay the bill? Seems to me he is maxed out on all his cards, and wants to start using you to fund his lifestyle.

You know it isn't right, so trust your gut instincts and wait until you are in work and ready to take it on yourself.

It is such a pity that 'credit' is such a positive, jolly word. I wish they'd call them loan cards instead, because that is what they are.

If he has a good job and a small mortgage, why doesn't he have any money? Does he have lots of children to feed, pay childcare for etc? Supporting aged parents?

Otherwise, he should be quite comfortable, although granted, his utilities would have increased if he has a big house, but not unmanageably so.

I agree that it's good to keep an active credit card, but you can do this by putting some or all of your normal spending on it and paying it off in full every month, I don't see what that has to do with him.

If he hasn't had much in the way of pay rises recently, his disposable income will have reduced, but there's nothing in your OP that indicates that he should be struggling that badly, unless he's got debts - that can spiral out of control because the interest grows and it costs money to service without having anything to show for it.

But it sounds like, if you're currently buying your own property, that your finances are currently separate and, unless you have full disclosure of his position, that it should definitely stay that way.