I arrived in the United States in December 2022 with two suitcases, a finance degree, and zero credit history.
No score. No cards. No idea where to start.
Within 30 days I had my first credit card. Within 18 months – 11 cards, a $26,700 combined credit limit, and $1,250+ in sign-up bonuses earned. So I did what any finance grad would do: I built a spreadsheet and documented everything.
I didn’t stumble into this. I studied the system, ran the numbers, and optimized every step. That’s what FinBedrock is – the system, explained.
My Story
I arrived in California in late 2022. A few days later, friends recommended I visit Costco – my first real American grocery run. At the checkout, the cashier offered me a Costco credit card for store bonuses. I said yes, gave my details, and within a minute saw the word: declined.
That moment sent me down a rabbit hole. I quickly realized that in the US, almost everything – housing, car loans, even some job applications – is built on credit history. I had none. So I decided to build it.
I started where it made sense for me – Ukrainian Federal Credit Union. As a Ukrainian, it felt like the right first step. In January 2023 I opened my first secured credit card with a $1,000 deposit. I studied how to use it correctly, built my history deliberately, and after a few months the bank upgraded it to a regular unsecured card and returned my deposit.
My second card was the Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards – also secured at first, same process. Build the history, get the upgrade, recover the deposit. I treated it like a system, not just a payment method.
From there the cards came one by one. TJ Maxx. Capital One QuickSilverOne – my first mainstream cashback card. Bass Pro Shops for store rewards. Amazon Prime Visa – still one of my favorites, with 5% back on Amazon purchases and up to 6% when you choose Amazon Day Delivery. Chase Ink Business. Apple Card, which not everyone gets approved for – but by that point I had built exactly the profile they were looking for. Nordstrom Visa. Amex Blue Cash Everyday. And Ross, with an $8,000 credit line – my largest.
Eleven cards. $26,700 in combined credit limit. Not one closed.
What started as a rejection at a Costco checkout became a hands-on education in how the American credit system really works – and how to make it work for you.
My 11 Cards
Here are all 11 cards I currently hold. Every single one is still open – no closures since January 2023.
| Card | Opened | Limit | Best for | Top rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UFCU Credit Card | Jan 2023 | $2,000 | Building credit from zero | — |
| BofA Unlimited Cash Rewards | Mar 2023 | $1,000 | Everyday cashback | 1.5% unlimited |
| TJX Rewards | Mar 2023 | $500 | TJ Maxx / Marshalls shopping | 5% in-store |
| Capital One QuickSilverOne | Mar 2023 | $3,500 | Flat-rate cashback | 1.5% unlimited |
| Bass Pro Shops CLUB | Mar 2023 | $500 | Outdoor gear purchases | 5% in-store |
| Amazon Prime Visa ⭐ | Jun 2023 | $2,200 | Amazon & Whole Foods | 5-6% Amazon |
| Chase Ink Business | Nov 2023 | $3,000 | Business expenses | 1.5% unlimited |
| Apple Card | Nov 2023 | $2,500 | Apple purchases & daily use | 3% Apple |
| Nordstrom Visa | Feb 2024 | $1,500 | Nordstrom shopping | 3% Nordstrom |
| Amex Blue Cash Everyday | Apr 2024 | $2,000 | Groceries & streaming | 3% groceries |
| Ross CCB | May 2024 | $8,000 | Ross store purchases | Store rewards |
| Total | $26,700 |
⭐ My favorite card
What I’ve Earned
This section will be updated with verified bonus totals after bank account review — coming soon.
Why I Built FinBedrock
After three years of building my credit history from zero, opening 11 cards, and earning over $1,250 in bonuses – I realized I had built something most people spend years trying to figure out.
Not a trick. Not a hack. A system.
But getting there wasn’t easy. I kept finding different advice online – some said open as many cards as possible, others said never open more than two. Some recommended cards I later found out paid the highest commissions. I didn’t know who to trust.
So I stopped looking for advice and started running my own numbers. I wanted one place – honest, math-first, written by someone who actually uses these cards every day and shows you exactly how the numbers work.
That’s FinBedrock.
My Approach
Every card on this site is evaluated the same way – with math, not marketing.
Before I recommend anything, I look at three things: what the card actually costs per year, what it realistically earns based on real spending patterns, and whether the net value is positive for the reader’s specific situation. No vague “great rewards” claims. Just numbers.
Cards I personally hold get a first-person review – real transactions, real results, honest pros and cons. Cards I don’t hold are clearly labeled as research-based reviews, built from verified issuer data and real user experiences.
Higher commissions don’t influence rankings. A card earns a recommendation by being genuinely good for you – not for my revenue.
If a card isn’t worth it – I’ll tell you. You’ll find positive and negative reviews on this site. Let’s figure this out together – and earn some bonuses along the way.
Nick Buinenko, founder of FinBedrock.ai