So you have decided to take the plunge. You need a way to buy now and pay later. You have decided to apply for a credit card. But have you really thought it through?

Credit cards are great for a lot of things. They allow you to shop till you drop and not have to worry about payment until the bill comes in. They come in handy when making reservations and they can help repair poor credit. But applying for a card is not a decision to be taken lightly. Here are a few things to consider:

1. Before you start applying for every credit card under the sun, remember that every time you submit an application, it will show up on your credit report. Too many inquiries all at once could negatively affect your rating.

2. Be very aware of the processing fees. These can be quite high and could cost you a hundred dollars or more before you even start shopping!

3. Have an idea of what your main use for the card will be. Is it going to be used often for day-to-day expenses or kept for emergencies? Answering this question will help you determine which interest rate and credit limit you are looking for.

4. Read every detail of the application. Yes…. this even means all of that nasty fine print. There will be important details in there about prepayments, late payments and penalties. It is tedious to read through all of the tiny details but it will be worth it in the long run.

5. The most important thing to do before you apply for a credit card is to look into your credit report. It is possible for there to be mistakes on your credit history that are preventing you from getting the credit card you want. If there are errors, be sure to follow through with having it corrected. Your credit history is very important.

When we were searching for the best credit cards for people with bad credit, these five were at the top of every list.  They are not prepaid or secured credit cards either.  These are the real deal.  Here are the top five cards at a glance.

If you have less than perfect credit, you have no doubt encountered some trouble being approved for a credit card.  If this is the case, you have two options.  You can apply for a pre-paid credit card or you can apply for an unsecured card like the ones listed below.  Either way, it is important to read all of the terms and conditions of any card application to be sure you are getting the best card to suit your needs.

Here are the top 5 unsecured credit cards for people with bad credit:

First Premier Bank Gold Mastercard

• Welcomes application from those with less than perfect credit
• Instant application decision within 1 minute
• Low Annual Percentage Rate (APR) on all purchases
• Includes credit reporting to 4 major Credit Bureaus

Centennial Gold Mastercard

• Application decision within 1 minute when you apply online
• Credit protection available and tons of free credit information online
• Poor credit applicants welcome to apply
• Provides credit reports to 4 main Credit Bureaus

Orchard Bank Classic Mastercard

• Introductory rate of 0% offered to those who qualify for the first six months
• Easy access to your account online
• Accepted worldwide
• Instant application decision

Centennial Mastercard / Visa

• Your choice of Mastercard or Visa application
• Quick online application response
• Monthly reporting to 3+ Credit Bureaus
• Applicants with poor credit welcome

First Premier Bank Platinum Card

• All applicants welcome
• Instant online application decision
• Low APR available
• Monthly reporting to 4 Credit Bureaus

As you can see, most of these cards offer the same features like instant online decisions as well as low APR, monthly credit reporting and they all welcome applicants with poor credit.  Which ever card you choose, be sure to make your payments on time and start to rebuild your credit today.  If you do, this may be the last time you need to search for credit cards for people with bad credit.