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Kevin Joey Chen is a credit cards, banking and investments writer whose work and analysis have appeared on CNN, U.S. News & World Report, Lifehacker and CreditCards.com. He's passionate about helping you get your finances in order and expertly navigate the cutting-edge financial tools available -- including credit cards, apps and budgeting software.
Expert Review
Review by
Kevin Joey Chen
The Fingerhut FreshStart® Credit Account lets you buy items from Fingerhut and pay them off over six or eight months after a down payment. It has a $0 annual fee, but watch out for its very high 29.99% fixed APR on purchases.
After you place a qualifying order and pay off your balance, you may graduate to the WebBank/Fingerhut Advantage Credit Account. This lets you spend up to your credit limit and potentially qualify for credit-line increases.
You can’t apply for the Fingerhut FreshStart® Credit Account directly. Rather, you’ll apply through a general Fingerhut application, after which you may receive the WebBank/Fingerhut Advantage Credit Account or the Fingerhut FreshStart® Credit Account depending on your creditworthiness.
Expert review
The Fingerhut FreshStart® Credit Account lets you buy items from Fingerhut and pay them off over six or eight months after a down payment. It has a $0 annual fee, but watch out for its very high 29.99% fixed APR on purchases.
After you place a qualifying order and pay off your balance, you may graduate to the WebBank/Fingerhut Advantage Credit Account. This lets you spend up to your credit limit and potentially qualify for credit-line increases.
You can’t apply for the Fingerhut FreshStart® Credit Account directly. Rather, you’ll apply through a general Fingerhut application, after which you may receive the WebBank/Fingerhut Advantage Credit Account or the Fingerhut FreshStart® Credit Account depending on your creditworthiness.
Similar accounts charge a monthly or annual fee, but you don’t have to worry about paying either to keep this account open.
You may qualify with a lower credit score.
If your credit has seen better days, you may still be approved for a Fingerhut FreshStart® Credit Account. The program is designed for those seeking to improve their credit scores, and some customers have said they were approved with no credit history. Of course, approval is never guaranteed.
Good customers are rewarded.
If you pay off your first purchase within six payments — with no late or incomplete payments — you could qualify for the WebBank/Fingerhut Advantage Credit Account. You may also receive a higher credit line.
Low monthly payments.
Depending on your purchase volume, you could have a low monthly payment if you apply and are approved for a Fingerhut FreshStart® Credit Account. Accounts are issued by WebBank, who determines eligibility and qualifications for the terms of credit.
Once you make a one-time purchase of $50 or more on Fingerhut, you’ll need to make a $30 down payment. Afterward, you’ll pay off the purchase in six to eight monthly payments, including finance charges.
This is an example payment structure from Fingerhut’s terms and conditions.
Cash price of product
$50
$100
Down payment
$30
$30
Finance charge
$1.79
$6.25
Terms of repayment
6 monthly payments of $3.63
6 monthly payments of $12.71
According to Fingerhut, these are estimated monthly minimum payments. Your actual payments may be different after you’re approved for your credit account.
You’ll also like …
Immediate access.
As soon as you’re approved, you can begin using your account.
Reports to credit bureaus.
Fingerhut reports your payment history to all three credit bureaus. This can help you grow your credit score and build your buying power.
You can get all of the information needed from the Fingerhut website before you apply.
Eligibility criteria:
You’re at least 18 years old.
You have a valid Social Security number.
Required documents:
Your name and current residential address.
Your phone number and email address.
Your date of birth and Social Security number.
Amount of available income.
What credit score do I need?
The Fingerhut FreshStart® Credit Account is designed for customers who are rebuilding credit. You won’t find a specified minimum credit score on Fingerhut’s website.
Apply now
What do customers say about the Fingerhut FreshStart® Credit Account?
Many customers say they’ve seen their credit scores increase after using the Fingerhut FreshStart® Credit Account. However, some customers mention it’s important to make payments on time to not jeopardize the chances to move up to a WebBank/Fingerhut Advantage Credit Account.
Fingerhut’s parent company, Bluestem Brands, Inc., has a B+ ranking with the Better Business Bureau and is accredited. Bluestem Brands, Inc., at the time of writing, has over 2,400 customer complaints regarding difficulty with making payments, finance charges, unsolicited marketing and poor-quality merchandise.
How to apply for the Fingerhut FreshStart® Credit Account
Making payments on time gives you a chance at graduating to the WebBank/Fingerhut Advantage Credit Account.
Avoid fees.
Late payments come with fees of up to $14.90. Returned payments come with fees of up to $25.
Contact customer service.
If you have any questions, you can call Fingerhut customer service at 800-208-2500 — Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT.
Bottom line
If you’re looking to buy merchandise while potentially making low monthly payments, the Fingerhut FreshStart® Credit Account could be an asset. As with any credit card or line of credit, read the fine print and shop around to find a card that fits your spending habits.
Frequently asked questions
You may qualify for this option after you apply for a Fingerhut account. Unfortunately, you won’t know beforehand whether you qualify.
You may have a better chance of being approved for this credit account than an unsecured card. Typically, providers want to take on customers who have good credit. The WebBank/Fingerhut Advantage Credit Account might offer better chances of approval even if you have less-than-stellar credit.
You could consider a secured credit card or a store credit card, which might help you improve your credit score.
If you old fingherhut that didn’t pay on for about 2 years but now I am paying on it now. How can I get one of those rebuild credit cards. Or get any credit cards from fingering
Thanks for your question. Fingerhut requires each applicant to submit the following information below to open an account. This is for every application to be distinct.
Your name and current residential address.
Your phone number and email address.
Your date of birth and Social Security number.
Amount of available income.
To know if someone has/can open an account using your details, reaching out to Fingerhut would be the best way to find out. Also, you can find more information on Fingerhut’s security and privacy policy on the bottom part of their website.
WebBank/Fingerhut Advantage Revolving Credit Account and the WebBank/Fingerhut FreshStart Installment Loan. These accounts may require a down payment. If you do not qualify for a WebBank/Fingerhut Advantage Revolving Credit Account, they will attempt to qualify you for a WebBank/Fingerhut FreshStart Installment Loan. Hence, the Advantage Credit Account is a line of credit, and the FreshStart program is an installment loan paid back over time.
Thanks for reaching out. Just to confirm though, you have reached finder.com -a comparison website and general information service, not actually Fingerhunt.
To know if you’re still eligible to renew your account, kindly contact Fingerhunt directly by clicking the “Go to WebBank’s Website” button. You can find their contact information under Customer Service tab.
Alternatively, you can check this page for a list of lenders who might be willing to consider you for a second chance.
There are numerous categories of items that you can buy at Fingerhut website using this card. Fingerhut sells home furniture, clothing, tools, toys, electronic items, outdoor gears, appliances and more.
While we do not represent any company that we feature on our pages, we can offer you a general advice. With Fingerhut FreshStart Credit Account I don’t think they have “one time fee”. You may be referencing with “$38 Returned Payment Fee”, this is for late and returned payments depending on the state of your residence.
Can someone tell me? Actually why, when I place my first order on my finger hut fresh start account,No one has accepted my credit card $30 down payment. Would think I might have put something wrong on my account. I would like some figure. Can someone please help me out with this problem. Thank you
There are variety of factors why your card may not be accepted. However, the common non-acceptance is because credit Cards are not accepted for payments with the FreshStart® Program.
Fingerhut FreshStart® credit account issued by WebBank is an installment program. Once approved, you would make a one-time purchase that is a minimum of $50.00 (includes shipping and handling and taxes) and a maximum of your approved credit limit. Afterwards, a $30.00 down payment is required for your order to ship and to continue with the program. This amount will be deducted from your order total. Orders where the down payment is not made in time will be cancelled. The down payment can be made with the following methods of payment:
– Debit Cards
– Money Orders
– ACH or Paper Check
– CheckFree
– MoneyGram Payments
Next is to pay the balance off monthly on-time. Once done, you will be rewarded with a WebBank/Fingerhut Advantage Credit Account that will have a higher credit limit and no down payments.
You may want to check the T&Cs of this product or speak to their Customer Service for further clarification.
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