Some great points by Awake_at_midnight. Why not get a personal loan, you would have no problem with your fico score. If you can get a low fixed rate the lender will not be able to change the interest rate-like a CC company can legally do. Carrying a balance on a credit card is financial suicide. First get a copy of your wife's FICO score at MYFICO.COM for $15. The site also gives advice as to what to do to improve the score info that you just paid for. If you must get a CC put her on the account and and don't give her the card. My wife and I went through this when we got married because my credit was bad. I started off with a gas card and have not looked back. People form habits of how they pay their bills. If you continue to pay on time and in FULL, you will not fight about money. We still find other things to fight about. I hope this does'nt sound preachey.