🌐 Free money guides for Hispanic families in the United States

Your toolkit for credit and money in the United States

Pick what you need to do and we give you the route: what to do first, the tool that runs the numbers and the guide that explains it.

What do you need to do?

I want to build creditI want my first cardI have no SSNI have an ITINI want to send moneyI want to open an accountI have a credit problem
Hispanic family going over their finances at homeHispanic man smiling as he receives his first credit card in the mailThree-generation family talking around the dining tableHispanic person smiling while checking a digital bank account on the phoneMan sending money to his family from his phoneWoman opening a digital bank account on her laptopHispanic woman checking her credit report on a laptop in her kitchen

Building credit from zero

With no history you cannot be scored. You need an account that reports to the bureaus and about six months of on-time payments.

6 months
until your first FICO score
35%
of a FICO score is paying on time
1-10%
utilization of high scores
  1. Open a bank accountIt is the step that decides whether anyone says yes.
  2. Get your first line of creditA secured card or authorized user: both report from month one.
  3. Use it lightly and pay in fullOne small expense, autopay and a balance under 10% at closing.
  4. Check your free reportMake sure your payments show up and fix any error.
Utilization calculator12-month credit plan

Your first credit card

With no history, the most reliable card is a secured one and the fastest route is becoming an authorized user. Apply for one and wait.

$200-500
typical secured card deposit
1
application at a time: each is a hard inquiry
0
effect of pre-qualifying on your score
  1. Check the requirements18+, a US address, an SSN or ITIN and income to report.
  2. Pre-qualify risk-freeIt is a soft inquiry: your score is untouched.
  3. Fill in the application carefullyName and address exactly as on your documents.
  4. If declined, read the letterIt says why and which bureau was checked. Fix that before reapplying.
Quiz: which card can I getCards for immigrants with no history

Opening your first bank account

You can open an account without an SSN. What decides it is the documents you bring and the fees you accept.

$0
monthly fee if you pick the right account
4
papers worth bringing to the appointment
  1. Gather your documentsTick below what you already have.
  2. Choose bank, credit union or digital accountEach accepts different things and charges differently.
  3. Avoid the monthly feeWhich conditions waive it and where fees hide.
  4. Turn off overdraftIt is the fee that hurts most when you start.

What they will ask for

Open a bank account without an SSNWhat a credit union is

Run the numbers before you decide

Four quick calculations with the numbers that matter most. Change the figures and the result answers instantly.

Your credit utilization

20%Fine, below 30%

To get to 10%, pay $300 before the closing date.

Full calculator, card by card

What weighs on your FICO score

Payment history 35%

Pay on time, always. A payment 30 or more days late can stay on your report for up to seven years.

Mistakes that lower your score
The 5 factors, explained

Zero fee or low fee?

Provider A $0 fee, exchange rate 3.8% worse

$18.90 cost

Provider B $4.99 fee, exchange rate 0.9% worse

$9.34 cost

Provider B is $9.56 cheaper

Example with sample rates. Enter today’s in the full calculator.

Compare your two providers

Which card can I get?

Six questions and we tell you which type of card fits you. Start with the first one:

Which number do you have?

SSNITINNeither yet
  • Which type of card fits your starting point
  • What to check before applying
  • Your first year, month by month

How long does $5,000 of card debt take to pay off?

At 22% interest, which is typical for a credit card, what you pay each month changes everything. Watch the difference or tap an option.

Debt-free in–
Interest you pay–
Try it with your debt
Your paymentMinimum only

Where to start

Building credit, opening a bank account or sending money home should not require reading the small print of ten different providers. Every guide here explains what it actually costs, what you need, and what to watch out for.

No Social Security number needed to get started, and no jargon. If a guide does not tell you something useful, it should not be here.

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