There are a number of instances in a person's life when first time credit cards make sense for them at that particular moment. This is most especially true when a person has little or no credit history and needs to reestablish or establish credit. These so-called “first timer” cards come with their own set of terms and conditions that may be slightly different from credit cards for people with more established credit histories, by the way.

First time credit cards can make the most sense for people who need to get a credit history going and may not be all that concerned with how high the credit limit will be or if there are up front charges or fees that need to be paid to get the card. Additionally, some of these cards may come with higher variable interest rates then might be the norm for cards aimed at people with more established histories.

This isn't to disparage or put down any first time credit cards, because they fill a valuable niche in the credit card industry, not only for card issuers but also for people who really need to get their credit going. The way, of course, to find out about these cards – and to do a little research on them – is to make full use of the Internet. A good credit card directory will contain several of these cards, for a fact.

All that's needed to be done at that point is to look at the cards carefully and go over as thoroughly as possible all of their terms and conditions prior to making a decision to apply for one. What one should look for, first of all, is how well known the card issuer is. There are literally thousands of banks and institutions out there offering a branded or affiliated credit card, so interest rates and other aspects of each card can vary wildly.

Look at any interest rate these days, because the chances are it's going to be a little higher – especially when it comes to first time credit cards – than they were just 12 to 15 months ago. They will also tend to be variable interest rate cards rather than fixed interest rate credit cards, which is a recent phenomenon and an attempt by banks to make just a bit more off of their cards.

For those with no credit history at all, not only will the interest rate be slightly higher than for people looking for so-called “regular” credit cards, but it just may be that the cosigner might need to be brought to the table. Certainly, in order to get a more attractive interest rate and better terms, it might be a good idea for anyone considering getting one of these cards to see if a better rate can be obtained by using the cosigner, so keep that in mind.

First time credit cards can make a lot of sense for those people trying to get their credit up and running and who intend on being very responsible with it should they get it. Always check on interest rates and any terms and conditions, including late fees or penalties before making an application for any particular card. Use the Internet to find a good directory and then go over each card thoroughly.