Building Credit History in the USA from Zero

# Building Credit History from Zero Your credit score affects everything in America — renting, buying a car, phone plans, even job applications. ## Step-by-Step Plan ### Month 1: Get a Secured Credit Card A secured card requires a deposit ($200-500) that becomes your credit limit. Use it for small purchases and pay the full balance every month. Best options for newcomers: - Discover it Secured - Capital One Platinum Secured - Bank of America Customized Cash ### Month 2-3: Get a Credit Builder Loan Companies like Self or MoneyLion let you take a small loan that builds credit. You make monthly payments into a savings account. ### Month 6: Apply for a Regular Credit Card After 6 months of on-time payments, you may qualify for an unsecured card. ## Key Rules 1. **Never miss a payment** — payment history is 35% of your score 2. **Keep utilization under 30%** — if your limit is $500, never carry more than $150 3. **Don't close old accounts** — length of credit history matters 4. **Don't apply for too many cards at once** — each application lowers your score temporarily ## Timeline - 3 months: Score appears (~300-500) - 6 months: Score improves (~500-650) - 12 months: Good credit possible (~650-720) - 24 months: Excellent credit achievable (~720+)