With the recent recession, many are finding themselves with a poor credit score.  The country’s record job losses, foreclosures and credit card defaults have been a huge contributing factor in the decline of consumer credit.  But even with such circumstances, people still find it necessary to have a credit card for daily expenditures or emergency uses.

""We tend to think of money problems as a character flaw,"" says Geoff Williams, co-author of ""Living Well with Bad Credit."" ""But we've all found out in the past two years that money problems can happen to anyone.""

Many consumers with poor credit have given up on the idea of applying for a credit card.  They simply presume that their applications will be rejected.  These people should know that there are many credit options for those with less than perfect credit scores.  Even though credit card lending practices have become increasingly strict, many banks or credit unions are willing to take the time to work with individuals in obtaining credit cards.

Those who have had their credit scores lowered due to loan defaults or miscellaneous reasons can increase their chances of obtaining a card by simply explaining the reasons behind your financial mistakes.  Most credit report agencies will allow a 100 word statement explaining the origins of your low credit scores.  ""Anyone who pulls your credit is supposed to take into account what you put in that statement,"" says Linda Sherry, a spokeswoman for San Francisco-based education and advocacy organization Consumer Action.  If your credit card application is still rejected, there are still several options for you to obtain a credit card.

Those who cannot apply for a traditional credit card can try to apply for secured credit cards.  These cards will require a security deposit that can equal or be slightly lower than the credit line provided by the lender.  These cards are rarely rejected due to poor credit because you have already supplied the necessary funds to support the credit limit of the card.  Although these are not as tempting as unsecured cards, it provides a very efficient way for consumers to rebuild their credit scores.

There are several things you should consider before applying for a secured credit card.  Make sure you understand the necessary fees associated to such cards.  Consumers should also know that not all secured credit card reports your activities to the credit bureaus.   Since rebuilding credit is the primary reason behind using such cards, it is critical for applicants to look for this particular feature.

Another option for consumers with poor credit is subprime credit cards.  These cards typically involve expensive upfront processing fees, so is recommended only as a card of last resort.  Along with the high fees, subprime credit cards are also characterized with high interest rates.  One Premier Bankcard of South Dakota even advertised a subprime credit card with a 79.9 percent APR.  When applying for subprime cards, it is recommended that cardholders pay off balances each and every month.

If both options do not appeal to you, the obvious method is to wait and payoff all your standing debts while rebuilding your credit score.  Doing so will give you the best options and interest rates when applying for a credit card.