THREE THINGS YOU CAN DO NOW TO IMPROVE YOUR CREDIT

1 GET IT IN YOUR OWN NAME. It’s tough to build your credit if you don’t have a card solely in your name. Having a companion card on your partner’s account won’t help, even if you diligently pay your bills every month. “As soon as you have your first job, you should get a credit card,” says Staff. “You can use it for just one thing, like fuel, and have a maximum balance of $ 500.”

2

PAY YOUR BILLS ON TIME. Pay at least the minimum balance on your credit card before the due date and never exceed 50 percent of the available credit limit, Staff says. Maxing out your cards tells lenders you’re not doing a good job managing your money. One good solution: signing up for automatic payments.

3

ORDER A COPY OF YOUR CREDIT REPORT. You can get a free annual copy of your credit history from reporting agencies Equifax and Transunion by mail, fax, phone or in person. “It’s helpful in spotting possible unexpected changes in your credit report over time, and it can help uncover identity theft or fraud,” says Kuzmic.