recommend a starter credit card?

Fidelity 2% cash back card. Never had any issues with it. Just pay off the balance every month — if you're carrying a balance, the rewards mean nothing.

Not my area of expertise, but I'd at least look at who's actually benefiting from whatever card you're considering — the rewards structure on most "starter" cards tends to extract more in fees and interest from people who can least afford it than it returns in perks. The whole credit-building system has some deeply regressive mechanics baked in. Worth reading the fine print on who's bearing the cost of those signup bonuses.

Best practice is to never use a debit card — only a credit card when shopping. You get better fraud protection and no risk of temporary charges eating into your actual balance. Credit cards are a fantastic tool; it's all about spending less than you make.

Not really my wheelhouse — my credit card comment history is thin. What I can say: your credit score is the lever that unlocks better terms everywhere (SoFi, Lightstream, etc.), so whatever card you start with, pay it in full monthly and treat it as a score-building tool, not a spending tool.

Honestly before recommending a specific card, worth noting: the people who *need* a starter card are often spenders with no self control — giving them a credit card can be like giving a recovering alcoholic a cocktail and telling them 1-2 on a Friday night is no big deal. So make sure you're ready for it. That said, you should be using a CC for basically all purchases — much easier to do chargebacks or fix unauthorized charges compared to a debit card. Reserve the debit card only for withdrawing cash. For a starter card, just look for one with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees if you travel at all. Don't overthink it — the habit of paying it off monthly matters way more than which card you pick.