Claire Dickey

Former Editor, Credit Cards

EXPERTISE

Rewards credit cards
Travel credit cards
Credit card news
Building credit

EDUCATION

A.B.J. Advertising, Grady College of Journalism at The University of Georgia

There’s no reason to feel intimidated by a credit card. As long as you pay off your purchases every month, there’s little risk and tons of upside.
— Claire Dickey

Claire Dickey is a credit cards editor at Bankrate, focusing on news, product guides and educational content. Her areas of expertise include rewards and travel credit cards, building credit and credit card news. Always on the lookout for the latest credit cards and card perks, as well as cards-related legislation and regulations, Claire is passionate about demystifying personal finance topics. Her goal is to help readers save money, earn rewards and protect their credit scores.

When she’s not strategizing about how to maximize rewards on her next trip, Claire is an avid runner and day hiker.

Claire wants you to know

If you’re trying to build credit, my best advice is to keep things simple. A credit card is a great way to show your creditworthiness, but picking one can be overwhelming since there are so many options out there and so many features to consider. Stick to the basics: Look for a card with low fees and the option to put down a large deposit and get a matching credit limit. If you pay on time and only charge small purchases to the card, your score can grow surprisingly quickly.

Claire's recommended readings

There’s no reason to feel intimidated by a credit card. As long as you pay off your purchases every month, there’s little risk and tons of upside.
— Claire Dickey

Claire's latest articles

What is the Chase 5/24 rule?

If you’ve opened more than 5 credit cards in the past 24 months, Chase probably won’t accept your credit card application.

4 min read Jul 07, 2023
How to get a credit card with no credit history

Getting your first credit cards is one of the most important steps toward building strong credit.

6 min read Jul 03, 2023
How to use rewards points to save on the Fourth of July

No matter how your July 4th holiday plans shake out this year, you have the potential to earn credit card points or redeem rewards to pay for supplies, travel and more.

4 min read Jul 03, 2023
How to use the Citi Premier Card’s $100 annual hotel savings benefit

Find out how this card’s offer works and how you can use it.

4 min read Jun 29, 2023
7 credit card tips for beginners

Find out the best practices for your first credit card, as well as which pitfalls to avoid.

5 min read Jun 29, 2023
How to leverage Amex’s The Hotel Collection for your next trip

Learn more about one writer’s recent solo trip to Lisbon, Portugal, using The Hotel Collection from American Express.

3 min read Jun 28, 2023
Junk fees start to disappear, but will consumers really save money?

Efforts to reduce or eliminate junk fees might just lead to higher prices across the board.

4 min read Jun 28, 2023
Select Petal 2 Card accounts are being replaced with Petal 1 Rise

Select Petal 2 cardholders have been downgraded to a card with added fees.

5 min read Jun 26, 2023