[aka1234]

I'm 17 and will be 18 on April 25th.

For now, I will open a Verizon Wireless account under my moms name and when I'm 18 I will transfer the account to my name.

One Problem: I don't have any credit to get Verizon.

So in a couple of days I will get a credit card and have it cosigned by a parent and use it to pay for gas every week.

Do you think that by April I will have built up enough credit to get the plan transferred to my name?

[TroyDBrown]

Originally Posted by aka1234

I'm 17 and will be 18 on April 25th.

For now, I will open a Verizon Wireless account under my moms name and when I'm 18 I will transfer the account to my name.

One Problem: I don't have any credit to get Verizon.

So in a couple of days I will get a credit card and have it cosigned by a parent and use it to pay for gas every week.

Do you think that by April I will have built up enough credit to get the plan transferred to my name?

It just depends. Your credit score is based on length at address, length at employer, how much debt you have, how long you have had it and your payment history.

I think the credit companies also figure in the phase of the moon and high tide.

Short answer, probably not. I would during this same time period save up some deposit money just in case. Worst case stay on your parents plan or have them open a new plan for you.

[aka1234]

I am opening a verizon account under my moms name that is a single line strictly for me. This is temporary until i can transfer it to my name.

The rest of my family is on a tmobile family plan

[JSanders]

I'd encourage you NOT to open a credit card account just to get "credit".

[zerog46]

I second that, it just gets you in trouble.

[TroyDBrown]

Originally Posted by JSanders

I'd encourage you NOT to open a credit card account just to get "credit".

Come on dad. I promise I wont run it up. Emergencies Only.

[zerog46]

Put the account in both your name and your mom's name.

[C17Driver]

Wirelessly posted

Credit cards aren't bad as long as you treat them like debit cards. Never buy something with it if you can't afford to pay cash. For some that easier said than done I suppose.

[ocgreenmachine]

I don't know if they still do this, but back when I was 18... (about 9 years ago), I walked into a verizon store to buy a cell phone, and they opened an account for me even though I only had a debit card. They just made me pay a $400 deposit, which they actually mailed back to me when I left them 2 years later, which spoke volumes to me about their customer service... I went on my merry way for several years with other carriers and now I have been back for about a year. So, to answer your question, I think you probably can open an account on your own, but be prepared to give them a hefty deposit, unless they changed their policy.

[viet2100]

I opened an account when I was 18 and had no credit. No deposit either..