Don’t you just hate looking up recipes on Pinterest? How come everyone always wants to tell you their whole life story? 🤪 No one cares about how sourdough starters got you through your 4th divorce, Joanne. #letsgetthisbread 🍞
Even if you’re no Martha Stewart, you can still build a nice, juicy credit score from stuff you already have in the pantry! 🥫
Here’s Five Fast Facts on how to build credit from the ground up:
- 💳 Card-Carrying Member - New to credit? Step one: get a credit card. If you’re in college, look for a student card—no fees, no fuss. Not a student? Secured credit cards are perfect for beginners. You give the bank a deposit upfront (think of it as “credit training wheels”), and you’ll get it back when you close the account. Easy peasy!
- 🐷 Piggy Back Ride - Another way to build credit from scratch is to become an authorized user on someone else’s credit card. In many cases, the company may report the main users activity onto your credit history, which could give you a good head start. Just make sure the person you’re latching onto is responsible.
- 🤠 Loan Ranger - Loans can help build credit, too. Got a student loan? Congrats—you’re already on your way! Some banks and credit unions offer credit-builder loans. Here’s the twist: you don’t get the cash upfront. It’s stashed in a savings account while you make payments. Once you’ve paid it off, you get the money, and your payment history gets reported to the credit bureaus. Double win!
- 🔌 Plugging In - If you pay utilities, rent, or cellphone bills, your payment history could also help you build credit. Programs like Experian Boost and Self let you link your payments to your credit history and count them towards your score.
- 📈 Started From the Bottom - Bonus fun fact: did you know that there’s no such thing as a credit score of zero? Even if you’re off the credit bureaus’ radar, you’ll start with a score of 300 as a baseline.
🔥Bottom line: Once you get the credit ball rolling, keep things kosher by developing good habits. Pay those bills on time and use auto pay if you’re a Forgetful Freddie. Don’t forget to check your credit report regularly and get errors corrected ASAP. Got family members hitting you up for cash? Check out our guide to just saying no!
Are you brand new to the credit world?
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