Get me a credit rating

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

The credit card is good - just make sure you're paying it off every month. Maybe you should also consider taking out small loans from the bank to pay for things like new tires for the car or whatever else, even if you have the cash on hand. Take the loan, pay it off, and it scores you points. It's small points, yes, but you have to start somewhere.

[DeezNuts]

Just get every credit card possible. Then use it like it's free money, disregarding what is in your bank account and ring up monthly late fees, destroying your credit rating for the future and making and making the card have an effective 40% APR. Later, just borrow money from your parents so you can buy anything, as your credit will be too crappy to recover for 10 years.

This is basically the way that credit card companies prey upon the unknowing college students that are bombarded with free stuff every year just for signing up. It's a vicious cycle.

Use the credit card purely as a 30-day interest-free floating loan.

DN