Some banks and/or credit unions offer what you call a secured credit card. It is an actual credit card, but it is secured by funds "frozen" in a designated account, usually a savings account. You can designate how much of a credit line you want, say $500. You must keep that in the account and those funds are not available to you until you cancel the credit card tied to that secured credit card. I did this for my daughter how was just starting out and had no credit at 18. After a year she was able to apply for and qualified for a credit card through another bank on her own.