Choosing the right credit card can feel like navigating a maze—so many options, promises, and rewards dangling just out of reach. From cashback on your morning coffee to travel perks that turn coach into first class, each card comes with its own unique appeal. But here’s the big question: which one fits your life, your wallet, and your goals?
Are you chasing points for free flights or looking for a no-frills card that keeps things simple? Maybe you want to save big on everyday expenses or start building your credit from scratch. Whether you’re a jet-setter, a savvy shopper, or someone who wants to keep fees low, there’s a card out there with your name on it.
This quiz cuts through the confusion to help you find the perfect match. Ready to discover which credit card will work hardest for you? Let’s get started!
History lesson
What Existed Before Credit Scores?
Before the advent of modern credit scores, lending decisions were largely based on subjective judgment and personal relationships—a system that often excluded many people and reinforced existing inequalities. Banks and lenders relied on word-of-mouth recommendations, local reputation, and community standing to decide whether someone was “creditworthy.” If you didn’t belong to the right social circle or had limited access to wealth, you were often out of luck.
For much of the 19th and early 20th centuries, lending practices reflected broader social biases. Marginalized groups, including women, immigrants, and people of color, faced significant barriers to accessing loans or credit. Even if they had steady incomes or assets, lenders frequently denied them opportunities based on discriminatory practices. For example, married women often needed their husband’s approval or co-signature to apply for credit until laws like the Equal Credit Opportunity Act were passed in the 1970s.
The rise of credit bureaus in the mid-20th century began to formalize how financial data was collected and used. While this brought some standardization, early practices still relied on subjective assessments, such as a borrower’s perceived morality, profession, or even neighborhood—a thinly veiled proxy for race and class. It wasn’t until the late 1950s and 1960s that more objective, data-driven scoring models began to emerge, paving the way for the modern FICO score.
While credit scores promised a more impartial system, they haven’t completely erased systemic inequalities. Historical disparities in wealth, housing discrimination, and access to education continue to influence who has strong credit today. The history of lending and credit scoring is a reminder that financial systems, while evolving, still reflect broader societal dynamics—and understanding that history helps us move toward a fairer future.
Quiz Writer
Charlie took to the written word like a fish takes to water. That is to say; they found themselves immersed in literature from before they were born. They've been known to tell their friends how they can still remember the passages their parents read to them when they were in utero - Emily Dickinson, Jane Austen, and a bit of Hunter S. Thompson thrown in to balance it out. Charlie keeps their feet wet, whether they're whipping up pithy one-liners to tease your brain or busy working on their second novel (the first one is available on Amazon under a pen name they refuse to disclose). You’re sure to get a kick out of giggle-worthy explanations and outrageous hints, and still come away feeling like you’ve just expanded your knowledge base.
Did you know?
The First Credit Card Was Made of Paper
Before sleek plastic credit cards became the norm, the very first credit cards were made of paper. In the 1920s, businesses like department stores and gas stations began issuing charge cards to their regular customers. These cards weren’t universal—they only worked at the issuing business—and acted more like IOUs, letting customers make purchases on credit to pay off later.
The paper cards were basic but functional, often including the customer’s name and account number. As credit systems evolved, paper was replaced with metal and eventually plastic to improve durability and security. These early charge cards laid the foundation for the multi-use credit cards we know today, forever changing the way people shop and manage money.
How to Play?
Our personality quizzes are set up a little differently than your basic trivia quiz, but you’ve probably seen their kind around. Rather than having to choose the right answer from a list of multiple choice options, in this case, there is no “right answer”! (Two plus two will always be four, but every Golden Girls character is equally awesome.)
So, stop stressing. Just click on the answer that suits you best, and enjoy the ride. These quizzes are just for fun but who knows – you might just learn something about yourself along the way!
About Heywise
Get knOwledgeable! Heywise is where entertainment and trivia meet, like a turducken of fun. Anytime. Anywhere. Since 2017, Heywise has been a leader of quizzes on the web, on mobile devices, and across social media.
We explore a broad range of topics – from sports to history, language to pop culture, personality to health. Our quizzes motivate readers to test their knowledge and learn new and exciting facts.
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