Quote Originally Posted by Rumline View Post
I'll differ in saying that a secured credit card (where you put down cash equal to the credit limit, usually only a couple hundred $, that the bank keeps until your score goes up) would be better Edit: in the long term /edit than being added as an authorized user to another person's card.

I usually advise against opening a secured credit card for credit score purposes - as new revolving trade line will dip your score further. Of course, you will build your score as on time payments being recorded. This is the slower safer way.

In the case of authorized line of credit, the original credit card holder's history will carry over onto your credit history. For example, if I put you as an authorized user on a 10 year old $40K limit AMEX card with 40k history balance with zero dollars current balance - The whole detail will transplant onto your credit history. Typically you'll see a huge jump in credit score in a matter of couple weeks.