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Jun 11, 2025

Question of the Day: Can you name ONE of the ways that consumers, under age 25, establish credit?

You can’t build a credit score out of good vibes. So how do young adults get started?


Answer:

Here's a look at credit-building tools, and how to use them to earn a good credit score.

1. Get a secured card

2. Get a secured loan

3. Use a co-signer

4. Become an authorized user

5. Get credit for the bills you pay

6. Practice good credit habits

Questions:

  • Do you think it's a good idea to try and establish credit when you are young? Why or why not? 
  • Why do you think that credit cards tend to be the entry point for establishing credit for so many consumers? 
  • How do you think that you will establish credit? 

Here are the ready-to-go slides for this Question of the Day you can use in your classroom.

Behind the numbers (NerdWallet):

"Building credit can be tricky. If you don’t have a credit history, it’s hard to get a loan, a credit card, or even an apartment.

But how are you supposed to show a history of responsible repayment if no one will give you credit in the first place?

Several tools can help you establish a credit history:

  • If your aim is to get a credit card, you could start with a secured credit card or co-signed card, or ask to be an authorized user on another person’s card.

  • If you want to build credit without a credit card, you might try a credit-builder loan, secured loan, or co-signed loan. There are also ways to use rent, phone, and utility payments to build credit. Some of these ways are free, others carry a fee."

 

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About the Author

Dave Martin

Dave joins NGPF with 15 years of teaching experience in math and computer science. After joining the New York City Teaching Fellows program and earning a Master's degree in Education from Pace University, his teaching career has taken him to New York, New Jersey and a summer in the north of Ghana. Dave firmly believes that financial literacy is vital to creating well-rounded students that are prepared for a complex and highly competitive world. During what free time two young daughters will allow, Dave enjoys video games, Dungeons & Dragons, cooking, gardening, and taking naps.

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