At your college graduation, you’ll hear inspirational speeches. You’ll talk about hopes and dreams and all the hard work you’ve put in to get this far. What you probably won’t be hearing about is getting your credit in check as you enter the ‘real world.’ Starting your professional journey by establishing good credit is a great way to start things with the right foot forward. Here is what you need to know about building good credit and how to get started.

Credit Matters

Qualifying for auto and home loans, rental applications, and even some jobs have become dependent on having good credit.

Knowing Where You Stand Is Key

You may have no credit at all, or you’re up to your neck in credit cards and student loans. Maybe you’ve already started establishing good credit and just don’t know exactly where you stand. Now is a great time to get your credit report and making sure you are keeping track of any debts you have, and disputing any discrepancies before it is too late.

Building A Credit History Will Help You

One of the major contributors to your credit score is your credit history. Your credit score will determine that rates you pay when credit is involved, on everything from insurance to mortgages and credit cards.

You Need To Do Your Research

There are so many credit cards on the market. If you are looking to use a credit card to build your credit history, make sure you start by researching each card instead of signing up for the first one that sends an offer in the mail.

Make Sure You Are Responsible

Having credit means being responsible. You should try to never use more than 30% of your available credit, and pay off your balances monthly if possible.

Start Working On Your Student Loans

It can be easy to put student loans in a different category, but they are still a debt and can effect your credit score. While the numbers may seem intimidating, especially when they’re in the tens of thousands, you don’t need to worry as long as you are making your payments fully and on time.