While the gold standard was once the pillar of our economies, the 21st century has ushered in the age of credit. Whether you're considering applying for a loan, renting an apartment, or even applying for a job, your credit history can profoundly impact your opportunities and financial well-being. In this guide, we'll delve into what credit is, why it matters, how to build it, and essential tips for managing it effectively.

What is Credit?

Credit indicates your eligibility to borrow money or access goods and services. When you borrow money from a bank, credit card issuer, or other financial institution, the amount of credit you have is calculated as a credit score. A higher credit score means you’re able to borrow more money at a time, while a lower credit score means you’re not able to borrow as much money at a time. A person’s credit is typically determined by their credit history, credit score, credit mix, and other factors. Generally, credit scores are broken down into ranges of 50. Credit scores of 750+ are considered excellent, scores of 700 to 749 are considered good, scores of 650 to 699 are considered fair, scores of 600 to 649 are considered poor, and a score of 600 or below is considered bad.

Why Does Credit Matter?

Let's dig into the nitty gritty and see some examples of how a good or bad credit score will affect you financially.

Better Access to Financing: A good credit score opens doors to more financing options, including loans, credit cards, and mortgages. The higher your credit score, the more likely you will qualify for lower interest rates and better terms, saving you money over time. Inversely, the lower your credit score, the harder it will be to qualify for good financing options. Requests for loans and mortgages will often be denied, and the options that are available will tend to have poor interest rates and worse terms.

Easier Time Renting: Landlords often check credit history when evaluating rental applications, thus the better your credit score the more likely you’ll be accepted to rent from them. This is especially important if there are other applicants applying for the same property. Similarly, utility companies may require a credit check before providing services like electricity, gas, or internet.

Better Employment Opportunities: Some employers conduct credit checks as part of the hiring process, especially for positions that involve financial responsibilities. After all, it’d be hard to trust someone with another person’s finances if they can’t handle their own finances.

Lower Insurance Premiums: Insurers may use credit information to determine premiums for auto, home, or life insurance policies. A higher credit score may result in lower insurance premiums, and a lower credit score may result in higher insurance premiums.

How to Build Credit:

As you can see, good credit is essential in establishing a positive financial reputation. Here's how you can start building it:

Open a Credit Account: If you don't have any credit history, consider applying for a secured credit card or becoming an authorized user on someone else's credit card account. Make small purchases and pay off the balance in full each month to establish a positive payment history. Paying off the balance in full is especially important in avoiding interest charges, avoiding debt accumulation, and maintaining low credit utilization.

Make Timely Payments: Payment history is the most crucial factor in determining your credit score, as it demonstrates responsible credit management and helps build a positive credit history. Always pay your bills on time, including credit card bills, loan payments, rent, and utilities. Paying your bills late is the easiest way to hurt your credit score.

Keep Credit Utilization Low: Aim to keep your credit card balances well below the credit limit, as high credit utilization ratios can negatively impact your credit score. A high credit utilization may signal to lenders that you're overextended financially. For example, if your credit card has a limit of $5000 and you’ve used $4000, that would mean your credit utilization ratio is 80%. General rule of thumb is anything above 30% is high, so if your credit limit is $5000, you want to try to keep your usage under $1500.

Diversify Your Credit Mix: Having a mix of different credit accounts can positively impact your credit score. Examples include credit cards, installment loans, mortgage loans, student loans, personal loans, and small business loans.

Monitor Your Credit Report: Be on top of your credit by reviewing your credit report from all three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) to check for errors or inaccuracies. Reporting any discrepancies and promptly addressing them will help you from having any unexpected issues with your credit.

Limit New Credit Inquiries: While mixing credit and opening accounts can benefit your score, you should avoid applying for multiple credit accounts within a short period, as this can temporarily lower your credit score.

Managing Credit:

So now that you’ve got a better understanding of what credit is and how to build it, we need to think about how to manage it. Here are some tips:

Set Up Payment Reminders: Setting up automatic payments or payment reminders will ensure you never miss a due date. The more automated you can make the process, the less chance you have of missing a payment and damaging your credit.

Use Credit Responsibly: Only borrow what you can afford to repay. It’s best to think of a credit card as a way to earn points, rather than a way to borrow money you don’t have. This way you avoid running up your credit card balance and damage your credit with late payments, high credit utilization, and/or unwanted charges.

Keep Accounts Open: Closing old accounts can shorten your credit history and negatively impact your credit score. Keep old accounts open, even if you're not actively using them. To put it into perspective, closing a 10-year-old account when your 2nd oldest account is 5 years old will cut your credit history in half.

Seek Professional Advice: If you're struggling with credit issues or debt management, ask a professional. Getting help from a certified credit counselor or financial advisor who is trained to solve these kinds of problems is the fastest and easiest way to manage your credit.

In conclusion, understanding credit is essential to the modern financial world. By building and managing credit responsibly, you can unlock opportunities, save money, and create a more secure financial future. Now, all you need is time to build a great credit score.