 TITLE: Why Don’t I Have a Credit Score? CONTENT: How to Establish Credit\n-----------------------\nThe good news is that there are plenty of ways to build credit if you've never had experience with it before:\n1.  **Apply for a Secured Credit Card**\nSecured credit cards are perfect for users trying to build a payment history from the ground up. They work like other credit cards when you make a purchase, but you must make a cash deposit when you open the account to back up your usage. That deposit, which is typically the same amount as your credit limit, is what \"secures\" the card.\nOtherwise, you use the card in the same way: Make purchases, pay them off by the due date and pay interest on any charges you don't pay off in full. If you don't make your payments, however, your secured deposit is deducted.\nTypically, you can use a secured card for a period of time to build up a credit history, after which you can convert the card to an unsecured option or apply for a regular credit card.\n2.  **Get a Cosigner on a Credit Card**\nYou can also apply for a credit card with a cosigner who has solid payment history. This is a good option for students who are just starting out and can get a card with their parents. However, the cosigner should know that if you do miss payments or carry a huge balance, their credit scores will also be affected.\n3.  **Apply for a Retail Store Card**\nThe first credit cards for some people are often retail store cards, which can be easier to qualify for and typically offer lower credit limits. They can also qualify you for discounts on purchases at that retailer. If you don't have much history with credit, retail cards can be a possible option for establishing a credit history, but they can also include some pitfalls, like high interest rates and fees.\n4.  **Get a Credit-Builder Loan**\nCredit-builder loans are solely designed to help you improve your credit score, so they function differently than other loans. Instead of giving you the loan amount up front, the lender sets it aside in a savings or certificate of deposit (CD) account.\nThen, once you've finished making payments, the lender gives you the funds, plus the interest accrued from the savings or CD account. Since the lender holds onto the cash from the beginning, many credit-builder loans offer decent interest rates.\nMake sure the lender reports your payment history to Experian or one of the other credit reporting companies so the loan helps you build your credit history.\n5.  **Become an Authorized User on Someone Else's Credit Card**\nAnother option is to piggyback off an already-open account as an authorized user instead of getting a cosigner. A parent, spouse, other family member or even a close friend can add you to their credit card account with a separate card. You will build a credit history based on the usage of that card, but the primary cardholder will be the one who must pay off any charges. If you're going with this method, be sure to establish rules with the primary cardholder regarding how you will use the card.\n6.  **Build a Credit History With Your Utility and Phone Payments**\nUntil recently, your utility and telecom bill payments only showed up on your credit reports if you didn't pay your bills and the accounts went to collections. Now, paying these bills on time can help you build credit—and raise your FICO® Score if you already have one—with Experian Boost™† . With Boost, you allow Experian to connect to your online bank accounts to identify your utility and telecom payments. You'll then verify which accounts you'd like to instantly add to your credit file. This may help you become scorable or, if you already have a credit score, you could see an instant score increase.\nIf you're not sure if you have a credit score, or want to find out what's in your credit history, consider getting a free copy of your credit report and scores from Experian so you can see exactly what is listed in your file. Checking your credit is a great first step to figuring out how to improve it, so the sooner you check the closer you'll be to raising your score over time. END