Eli5: how people initially start building credit.

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It’s weird to me. I recently applied for a bunch of rentals and my lack of credit has been the main thing holding me back. I have resolved to get a secured credit card but like how tf do people usually build credit anyway? I got denied by several other credit cards.

I also tried to apply for a loan earlier last year for a tow behind camper and even with 10k down on a 16k camper they said no. It’s like they can’t comprehend what I mean when I said I don’t have a credit score…it’s not a bad credit score….it’s that I have literally zero history. I’ve paid for everything in full including my car and the travel trailer that I ended up buying and yet I’m punished for it.

Anyways, how do most people get their name in the system? Is it always with a secured credit card?

In: Economics

20 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Not sure if it’s different now, but when I was in college (late 90’s) there were often people signing up students for credit cards outside the student center — I guess they viewed college students are good credit risk due to future income. I’d also had a card on one of my dad’s accounts since I was 16, to use for gas, clothes shopping, books and such at college, and other essentials, etc. By the time I’d graduated college, I had 2 cards only in my name with about $7,500 in credit limit not counting the card from my dad. Within a year of graduating, one jumped my limit to like $12k. And back then, I was never spending even $1000/mo and always paid off in full.

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