 TITLE: How to Choose and Use Your First Credit Card CONTENT: How to Use Your Credit Card Responsibly\n---------------------------------------\nOnce you get your first credit card, there are a few practices that you can follow to avoid interest and fees while building good credit. These guidelines can also help you build up your credit score, as long as the credit card you've chosen reports your payment history to the credit bureaus:\n*   **Only purchase what you can pay off in full.** If you're regularly using your new credit card, only spend what you can afford to pay off in full. It can be hard to keep track of how much you spend throughout the month, but you can create a budget and use an app that connects to your bank and credit card accounts to quickly sync and track everything in one place.\n*   **Always make at least your minimum payment.** Pay off as much of your bill as you can each month, and always make at least the minimum payment on time. Missing your payment can lead to late payment fees. Also, once you're 30 days past due, the card company may report the late payment to the credit bureaus, which can hurt your credit scores.\n*   **Don't max out your card.** While your card's credit limit is the most you're allowed to spend, using a large portion of your available credit can hurt your credit scores. If you're focused on improving your credit, try to never let your balance go above 30% of your credit card's limit.\n*   **Track annual fees.** If you get a card that charges an annual fee, mark your calendar for when the annual fee will be due so you can prepare for its impact on your finances. Before the company charges the fee, call and ask if there's any way to reduce or waive it. If there isn't, and you're not getting a lot of value from the card, consider closing the account to avoid the fee. END