How to open your first account with no credit history — what you need and the smartest starter accounts to build a record.
Your first account is how you start a credit record — and store accounts are one of the more accessible ways to do it. With no credit history yet, the trick is to start small, at a retailer with a low entry bar, and pay it perfectly.
Having no credit history isn't the same as bad credit — but it does mean retailers have little to go on, so a smaller limit and a value account are the realistic starting point.
Ackermans, Jet and Mr Price are popular first accounts thanks to their low entry bars. Open one, keep the balance low, and pay it in full and on time — that's what builds a strong record.
A store account is a tool to build credit, not free money. Spend only what you can repay, settle on time, and your record — and future limit — will grow.
