How I Built my Credit to a 714 at 19
My credit journey has been amazing to say the least, but it wasn’t always like this. I applied for 2 credit cards on my birthday and started from there!
After making the decision to put $2000 worth of plane tickets on them, I decided to chill out and pull back on my spending. I worked hard for 6 months to pay it off and told myself I would never do that again.
Then boom. Fired in June. Boom. Dog sick in July. $1200 Vet Bill, seriously Shadow! After finding a well paying job in August I actually had to lock in. Dealing with school and paying down credit card debt was NOT fun, but I did it! As of today the only debts I have will be paid off next week, and I’ll be completely debt free!
I was able to build my credit throughout all these hardships because I
1. Kept an emergency fund
2. NEVER missed a payment
3. Made sure my credit limit was low
Emergency funds are so important, luckily I saved up nearly 4k for that trip I mentioned in the beginning, I had about 2k left over so I lived off of that until I finally got a new job!
Always keep your cards on autopay so you never miss a payment as they can hurt your score. Be careful with hard inquiries don’t jump into dealer financing, getting other cards, unless you absolutely need it! Stay the course! It will pay off!
I went from having no credit score in Nov 2023 to having a 700 in Dec 2024. If I can do you can do it!
If you feel like you will overspend with a high limit, then make sure you have a credit limit of $250 to $500 which you can request from credit card companies! Self control is hard so doing things like this only sets you up for success!
If you’re ready to get started with building your credit in 2025 with a Discover Student Card please use my referral link and we will both get $100!
https://refer.discover.com/s/mikiyasanaa?advocate.partner_share_id=1708493761
Building credit at a young age can set a solid financial foundation for the future. It's essential to understand key factors that influence your credit score, such as payment history, credit utilization, and the length of your credit history. Using tools like credit monitoring can provide insights into how your decisions impact your score. Consistently making payments on time reflects responsibility and reliability to lenders, which can result in better interest rates in the future. When handling credit limits, requesting lower limits can prevent overspending and help maintain a healthy credit utilization ratio. For those starting out, considering secured credit cards or credit builder loans can also assist in establishing a positive credit history. Additionally, it's important to review your credit report regularly for errors and inaccuracies. By being proactive and informed, anyone can navigate their credit journey successfully and achieve their financial goals.