In message , at 14:45:38 on Sat, 3 Mar 2012,
Stephen Sprunk remarked:
Pretty much everyone qualifies for a credit card, at least in the US.
Those with poor credit scores get a low limit and high interest rate,
but they can still get a card. If nothing else, they can get a
"secured" credit card. (That type of card may be unique to the US.)

Last time I looked into this, about half the UK's adult population is
regarded as "not credit worthy". Although it's easier to get store
credit, mail order catalogue credit, and "Hire purchase credit" for
durable items, than a credit card for general use.

IMHO, in most* cases using credit shows fiscal irresponsibility because
the person is spending money they do not have. If anything, I would be
more likely to trust a _debit_ card user.

The problem with the (former) holders of Solo/Electron cards is that
often they are minor and therefore pursuing debts against them is
tricky. So they need a bank account and debit card which cannot go
overdrawn. In the UK we don't usually have parents co-signing in such
circumstance, other than perhaps for the rental of a property for a
student. Then there are the folks whose bank won't allow them an
overdraft because they haven't been shown to be fiscally responsible.

As a result, there's an aura of literally "poor man's card" hanging over
all debit cards.

A lot of credit card holders use them in effect as charge cards, as a
substitute for the "monthly credit" that the middle classes used to get
from tradesmen.
--
Roland Perry