My parents stressed to me the importance of having good credit from a young age by teaching me about money, credit cards and saving. When I was old enough, my dad got a credit card in my name that I used for certain purchases. He monitored the balance and made sure to pay it off every month, building my credit. When it came time for college, I had no problem getting student loans to pay for school and the deferred payments meant I wouldn’t have to start paying for them until after graduation.
Some of my friends lacked the financial education afforded to me by my parents and spent wildly with credit cards. Their credit was probably less than excellent to say the least. Now that I’ve moved on, found new friends in my professional life and put a few years between me and college, I’ve found that I was lucky to have gained such insight into the benefits of having excellent credit at such a young age. Talking to some of my colleagues, it’s apparent that I’m surrounded by people struggling with debt.
Two friends in particular that have nice houses and fancy cars have hinted that they are having a hard time with debt in the current economy. I’m sure lots of us start with excellent credit, then get that car or home loan and throw in a credit card or two, and before you know it your entire income is going to taxes and bills. It’s refreshing to know that although my income goes to living expenses like everyone else, I’m paying cash for everything. I’m free to change my living situation as I please without selling all my possessions and declaring bankruptcy. Having excellent credit gives one far more lifestyle options than those with high debt and bad credit.