Business Credit Card Offers

I have been working for myself for a few years now. Gradually it appears that I am becoming a small business rather than just a one man band.

I now have a paypal debit card so everything that I spend is tracked. I have been talking to my wife about whether we should get some kind of company credit card for any larger purchases.

I have started to get some business credit card offers, but I feel like I am so far out of my league as to be sinking in quicksand. It is not a nice feeling at all to not be confident.

When I started working for myself it was really because I didn't have any choice. There was no way I could get a job in the US as I was going through the whole green card thing (which is another hub all on its own I think).

So I started working for myself (paid my taxes etc etc) and grew from there. I never for a minute expected to have any interest in getting a credit card. I didn't even give a thought to anything like that, which in hindsight may well have been a mistake.

Business runs on credit, to one extent or another, Whether you are buying parts for the bathroom you are installing for someone or oil for the car that you are fixing, you probably get it it on credit. Getting credit often requires filling in loads of paperwork where they ask just about everything from your company turnover to your shoe size (*or maybe it just feels like that).

Having a company credit card may well just be easier.

So once I decided that a credit card was easier to get than to keep on going through all the different account procedures I had to decide what card.

Since I was a new business, green card in hand by this time but still not a citizen (that is also worthy of its own hub) i imagined I would have some issues. I was right!

The only option that was open to do was to go for a secured credit card, I deposit a thousand dollars with the bank and they give me a thousand dollars worth of spending on the card. If I don't pay the bill on time they take it out of the money they have already got.

Seems like a good deal, for them!

So can I grow my business without some kind of access to credit?

Well I am in a pretty much cash business so i get paid as I do things so yes I suppose I could, but being able to buy bigger quantities of things, or order more really would be nice.

Will it kill my business if I don't get a credit card, no it won't. Will I still try and grow, yes of course I will.

In fact not having access to a credit card will mean that I won't be tempted to overstretch myself I suppose, so maybe not having any kind of business credit is a good thing?