The right time to apply for your first card is whenever you can handle one without overspending wildly or missing payments.

That could be when you're still a student — in fact, while you're a student may be the optimal time, Jill Gonzalez, an analyst at WalletHub, tells CNBC Make It (though if you're under 18 years of age, you legally need a co-signer). Or the right moment might be shortly after you graduate but while you're still in your early 20s.

Regardless, it's good to get started pretty early laying the groundwork for the rest of your financial life. "If you're using cards responsibly, it can be possible to build up great credit in two to four years," John Ganotis, founder of CreditCardInsider.com, tells CNBC Make It. "The only way to really maximize scores is time."

If you wait too long to get your first card, you can run into trouble, since establishing credit early on ensures that, in the future when you borrow money for a mortgage or auto loan, you can qualify for a good rate and save thousands on interest payments. And getting that first card later on can be a little tricky since, with limited credit history, credit card companies have little reason to trust you.

Whatever your age, when you're applying for your first card, you won't qualify for the options that offer the best rewards and highest returns. Those typically require applicants to already have good to excellent credit scores (ones that exceed 700). There are options out there, though — even some that will not only help you build credit but earn you rewards, too.

Here are three ways to get your first card.