How To Guides

Continental Finance is a credit-card company that offers credit cards to consumers with fair, poor or limited credit (FICO scores between 300-689). The following cards are part of its portfolio:

There are some commonalities between these products. These cards are unsecured, so you don’t need to make a security deposit in order to open an account. Each card reports user activity to all three major credit bureaus. This means that you can improve your credit score by spending less than your credit limit and making full monthly payments. As an incentive, all of these cards will double your initial credit limit once you have made six minimum monthly payments.

This is the good news, but it does not outweigh any of the negatives. There are major drawbacks to the Continental Finance credit card: high fees, high interest rates, and no way to upgrade to a better product. A checking account is required to obtain any of these cards. This can be a problem.

This is a brief overview of the credit cards offered by Continental Finance. We also have some suggestions for other credit options that may be more affordable and rewarding, even for those with poor credit.

For a card that offers little upside, the Cerulean credit cards charges an expensive annual fee. You will not receive credit limits greater than $1,000 after account opening. The annual fee for the Cerulean card is $125. Annual fees cannot be refunded, unlike the upfront deposit for secured credit cards. These terms may seem unappealing, but they aren’t the worst when you compare them to the other cards that Continental Finance offers. (This dishonor could go to the Fit credit card. )

Alternate choice: The Chime Credit Builder Visa(r), Credit Card works in the same way as a prepaid card, but reports user activity to all three credit agencies like a credit card. The card does not have an annual fee, nor does it charge APR. However, you will need to have a Chime account in order to obtain it.

The Fit credit card has an annual fee that costs $99. This is a lot less than the Cerulean. The fees don’t end there. To open an account for the Fit credit card you will need to pay $89 in processing fees. These two fees will immediately make you owe $188, before you can use your card to make purchases. You will be charged a $6.25 monthly fee ($75 per year) after your first 12 months with the Fit credit card. This is in addition the annual fee. Although the Fit credit card offers a credit limit of up to $3,000, it feels like a small reward for hundreds of dollars in fees.

Alternative choice: Petal(r), 1 “No Annual Fee Visa(r). This card puts the Fit credit cards to shame with its absence of annual fees, foreign transaction charges, or activation fees. Variable APRs vary from 24.49% to 33.99%.

NerdWallet’s credit-card team gave the Reflex(r), Platinum Mastercard(r), a rating of 1.8 stars out of 5. It’s easy to understand why. The annual fee is $75 to $125 for the first year. After that, it increases to $99 to $125 per year. A $10 monthly fee is also added. This fee is waived after the first year. The initial credit limit ranges from $300 to $1,000.

You can also consider the Discover it(r), Secured Credit Card. The annual fee for the card is $0 and there is a $200 security deposit required. However, the fee can be refunded. You can also earn rewards with the card. Discover even offers a sign up bonus. Discover will match any cash back that you earn in the first year. There is no minimum spend or maximum reward. There is no minimum spending or maximum reward.

The Surge credit card sings the exact same tune as Continental Finance: A steep annual fee of $75-$125 for the first year and $99-$125 thereafter. You may have to pay an additional $10 per month after the account has been opened for 12 months. This could mean that you may owe up to $245 per year for this card. You must also have a checking account to open a Surge card, just like the Reflex(r), Platinum Mastercard(r).

The Verve credit cards are almost identical to the Surge credit cards. The only difference is the card issuer. The annual fees for the Verve and Surge credit card are identical. They cost $75-$125 the first year and $99-$125 each subsequent years. The initial credit limit for the Verve credit cards is $300-$1,000. This is the same range as the Surge card. The Verve credit card’s monthly fees are waived during the first 12 months. However, they can be as high as $10 each month thereafter.

Alternative choice: The Tomo Credit Card has many outstanding features. You could be eligible for as much as $10,000 in credit limit, and you don’t have to go through a credit check to apply. It earns rewards and has a $0 annual fee.

Continental Finance credit cards are not a good fit for most consumers due to their high fees. You should pay the monthly and annual fees promptly if you have any of these cards. If your credit score is high enough, you might consider cancelling the card and getting a new one. If you have a high-interest credit score, closing a credit account can affect your credit score. However, the penalty might be worth it if it means getting rid a creditcard with excessive fees.

Cancelling your credit card can result in a refund of the annual fees. This is done by notifying the issuer within 30 days of the date on the monthly billing statement that the annual fee was due. To receive a refund, the annual fee for all Continental Finance credit cards must be paid within 30 days of account opening.