check out www.clarkhoward.com . i listen to him daily and he is very smart. You need to get credit cards! Don't use them, just have the credit avaliable! This is the easiest way to increase your credit score, I am 21 and have 4 credit cards that I use maybe once per year each (to keep the account active). I have a 7xx FICO score thanks to my pratice of having lots of credit avaliable to me if i need it.