5. GET CHARGED UP, BUT WISELY
A big part of being an adult is establishing credit once you’re out of your parent’s crib. Unfortunately, credit of the bad variety is a lot easier to earn than the good kind.
College students often get lured into signing up for their first credit card and make the mistake of viewing it as “free money” when that couldn’t be farther from the reality. Only pay the monthly minimum on a card with a high interest rate can quickly turn a few small purchases into a big headache that costs you several times more than the sticker price.
Having no credit history at all can be just as bad, because lenders have nothing to go off of and they’ll just assume the worst about you and your spending habits.
The best way to keep your credit clean is to be easy on the plastic and shop around for low interest rates and credit cards with useful perks like bonus points for every dollar spent. Of course, you should do your best to steer clear of unnecessary charges by paying those bills on time. Set up direct deposit payments and you’ll see that credit score soar.
