When it comes to your financial life, few things are more important than your credit. A good credit history can help you save money when borrowing what you need for things like buying your first home, purchasing a car, or taking care of unexpected expenses. On the other hand, poor credit can make it diffcult to borrow money in the first place, and significantly increase the cost for doing so if you do qualify.

The first step to achieving good credit is deepening your understanding of credit. So where do you start? This guide will provide you with an overview of how credit scores work, why you should care about yours, and all the ins and outs of building a healthy credit history.