Lack of a credit history can make it hard to get a credit card. Here you'll learn ways to build a good credit history that will open the credit door.

Life without credit can be difficult. These days your credit is checked by potential employers, landlords, even the phone company. In this chapter, we'll show how to get your first credit card, why credit cards for students aren't all bad -- and which are the best for their needs, and how to repair your damaged credit by using other types of credit carefully.

What you can expect to learn from this chapter:

Getting your first credit card   Lots of people have no credit history so they can't get a credit card. A secured card or oil company card might help you create a credit history. Cards for college students   Credit cards can make college life easier, but students should still find the best one. Our student credit card survey can help. Why a credit card is useful for students   Despite statistics that the average student leaves college with lots of debt, there is a good reason to have a card: to establish a credit history. Bad credit doesn't mean no credit   There are a number of ways to repair your credit, from paying non-credit card bills promptly to using a co-signer to getting a secured card. Chapter 6 quiz   Think you learned how to build good credit? Test yourself.