Take the credit card you can get, work toward one you want

Trying to choose a credit card can feel like deciding who to swipe right on in a dating app — especially if you’re new to the game or have been out of it for a while.

With both, you might revise your wish list of qualities if the pool of possibilities is smaller than you had hoped. Unlike dating, however, the advice to “just get out there and try” isn’t useful with credit cards. Lots of applications close together hurt your credit.

But focusing on a card you can get will help you build a strong credit history and eventually help you qualify for one you want.

Find out what kind of customer they want: Credit cards are marketed to specific audiences — there are cards for people recovering from mistakes, cards where you earn rewards for travel and cards that won’t charge you a fee the first time you pay late.

First, find out how creditors will see you. If you don’t know your credit score, you can check it for free at several personal finance websites or you may have access to scores through a credit card issuer or bank.

If you’re unsure what credit scores are acceptable for a particular card, call the issuer and ask, says Kelley C. Long, a certified financial planner in Chicago.

Cards that allow you to earn rewards or cards offering 0% APR for transferred balances typically go to customers with good credit profiles. If the card you want is out of reach, apply instead for a card that is marketed to customers similar to you.

How to improve your odds: A qualifying score is often just the first hurdle in getting approved for credit. Income, debt obligations, credit age and history can also play a role.

Still, there are ways to tilt the odds in your favor, says Leslie H. Tayne, a financial attorney in the Long Island, N.Y., area.

• Request your free credit reports from annualcreditreport.com and check for mistakes. Dispute errors that could be holding your score down, such as an account that isn’t yours and shows credit missteps.

• Build a savings account. It won’t directly affect your score, Tayne says, but it can affect whether you are approved and for how much.

“Money in the bank is super key to lending,” she said. “They want to see security so you don’t have to go to credit if there’s some change in your circumstances. Money in the bank can help you improve your odds.”