1.How do I identify the best credit card for me?

By understanding your spending patterns!

Group your spending and identify your biggest spend categories. These could be groceries, fashion / dining / entertainment spends or other categories (like online shopping or air travel) depending upon your age, gender, lifestyle and needs.

Analyzing your spends category-wise and identifying high-spend categories helps you to choose a Credit Card in Bahrain that gives you the most rewards for your highest spending categories. This enables you to maximize the rewards and benefits you earn.

2. How do I search for a credit card?

Shop around!

Most banks in Bahrain (think HSBC, Citibank, Ahli United Bank etc) offer credit cards. You could check out their websites. There are also pure-play credit card issuers like CrediMax who also issue credit cards.

Some of these banks also have credit card comparison tools on their websites which will enable you to compare their credit cards side-by-side feature-wise.

You could also check out MasterCard Bahrain (https://www.mastercard.com.bh/en-bh/consumers/find-card-products/credit-cards.html) or Visa Bahrain's (https://bh.visamiddleeast.com/en_BH) websites.

And, then there are card comparator websites like YallaCompare which allow you to compare cards across banks and even apply for your best-fit card directly from their portals.

3. Do I need to do a credit score check before applying for a credit card?

Before you go applying for your fav card, we suggest you do a quick check of your credit score. Bahrain Credit Reference Bureau is the credit score bureau (under the trade name, "Benefit") in Bahrain. It has been licensed as an Ancillary Service Provider by the Central Bank of Bahrain.

As long as you are a Bahraini citizen or resident or a GCC citizen, you can register yourself and can obtain your credit report from the Bureau for free once every 12 months.

Doing a credit score check beforehand will help save you the disappointment of having your application rejected. But, don't despair, you can get your credit score back on track by using a secured credit card. This credit card is secured by a term deposit. Ahli United Bank offers such a product.

4. My credit score is good! How do I apply for a credit card?

Congrats! This final step is the easiest!

You can easily apply for a credit card online. Simply go to the card issuer's website and follow their instructions. It shouldn't take you more than a few minutes.

You may need to upload a few identity and income-related documents; so, keep these handy.

If your bank is next door to your home or office, you could also try dropping in along with your documents and complete the application at the branch.

And, finally, a credit card is a great tool to have, so, use it wisely and you can reap umpteen benefits from it.