Personal finance experts suggest seven simple steps to help everyone, including students, keep their finances on track. Use them as guidelines as you spend and save:
Always pay your bills on time.
Keep bills current for 12 consecutive months.
Keep balances below 50% of the credit limit.
Apply for new accounts only as needed.
Make sure information on credit report is correct.
Monitor co-signed and joint accounts.
Be ready to explain what caused the credit problem, and what you’ve done to make things better.