by Chelsea Springli 
Establishing good credit is central to reaching important financial milestones, like buying a home or a car. Credit can also affect things like getting a job, applying for an apartment, your insurance rates and more.
Not only is a good credit score the difference between being approved or declined for a loan, but it also has a large impact on the rates you pay. In fact, maintaining good credit can save you tens of thousands of dollars during your lifetime. But when is the right time to start building credit? And what is the best way to start?
At the credit union, we recommend that people start building credit at age 18. Establishing credit at the age of 18 is a good start because a person cannot legally obtain debt prior to this age. In fact, having credit established before you are 18 years old can trigger fraud alerts, as identity theft of minors is a leading strategy of fraudsters. This is also a great time to get introduced to a credit monitoring service to ensure that there are no mistakes or fraud on your credit report.
While a credit card is a clear way to start building credit, it’s important to start small. Start off with a low-rate credit card with a small spending limit. Then buy some gas or groceries with that credit card and pay it off every month. This will help you get into the habit of using a credit card to build your credit score without getting over your head in debt. The credit union also offers a BlueSecure Credit Card which gives people with colorful credit the convenience of a credit card while building credit history at the same time. It’s a safe way to build your credit.
The key to building a good credit profile is simple: don’t take on more debt than you can support, pay your debt on time, keep unsecured balances low, and continually pay them off. Having good credit will give you the confidence to buy the car you want, purchase your dream house, and live a stress-free life.
Stay Well,
Chelsea Springli
