Orchard Bank for Credit Repair

The appeal of the Orchard Bank card is great for those of us who have shaky credit ratings.  They'll approve just about anyone!  Having ruined my credit in my reckless youth, I was anxious to rebuild and Orchard Bank was the first to give me that chance.  They start you with a low limit, which is for your protection as well as theirs because the interest rate is a bit high--I won't post that since it could vary per person.  However, in combination with that is a high annual fee of $59.  Ouch!  In addition to this, if you call and ask them to raise your limit, they will charge you a fee of $25 for the privilege.  Watch your balance and pay your bills on time, and they'll raise it for you eventually--I think it was over a year before mine went from $300 to $500.  I've only had to call customer service a couple of times.  The phone reps were pleasant enough, but I wasn't overwhelmed by their competence.  However, when I had a problem with my account that the rep couldn't help me with, she transferred me to an "account manager," who was very friendly and courteous and helped me as much as she could.

 All in all, this card is fine for those who can't get approved for most cards.  It is not secured so it will report on your credit reports right away.  Use it responsibly for a year or two, then ditch it for something better.