Hi friends. Thanks for downloading the Money Girl

Podcast. I'm Laura Adams and you're listening to the Money Girl podcast. A money girl

reader named Erica asks, I'm a 25-year-old professional who's trying to save money and build credit so I can buy a home as quickly as possible.

I have a credit card that I pay off in full every month.

But what if I pay it off every week instead, would that raise my credit score?

How about paying down my student loans ahead of schedule?

I desperately need your advice about how to build credit fast.

Maintaining good credit is an important part of a healthy financial life. It allows you to qualify for new credit accounts like car loans, credit cards and mortgages at the lowest interest rates possible.

But having great credit also helps you get competitive quotes on insurance.

Get approved to rent a house or apartment.

Meet the requirements of a potential new employer or qualify for a corporate credit card to pay for reimbursed job expenses.

Paying less for interest and insurance means you have more money left over to invest for the future, which is the key to building wealth.

If you're having trouble improving your credit or you're building credit for the first time,

like Erica, it's important to understand how credit really works and what influences

scores the most.

Use the following seven rules to in your credit reports.

Credit scores are calculated using information in your credit files that are maintained by nationwide

credit reporting agencies like Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. The vast

majority of consumers have errors on their credit reports that go undetected for years

because they've never taken the time to review them.

If data in your credit reports is negative or incorrect, it's probably dragging down your

credit scores without you knowing. However, it's easy to dispute errors and get your

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