Ah okay, thanks for clearing up that misconception. So credit can still build even if the balance is paid off immediately upon being billed? I guess my knowledge of credit and how it functions is petty at best. But I'll start with a bank card and get the ball rolling. Maybe move up to something more prestigious with points/travel rewards, etc. in a year or two.
Things that help credit:
*History
**Age of account (oldest CC you still have active)
*Having more than just one or two cards. Having literally a dozen accounts in good standing helps your credit.
*On time full payments
*Keeping both individual and overall credit utilization below 30% total
*Keeping a balance above 0 on your monthly statement (it is worse than going above 30%)
*An increase in credit. This not only helps with utilization, but shows creditors you can be trusted.
*Being an authorized user on someones account who has good credit. I do this for my ex still since her mother harmed her credit when she was a child.
Things that hurt credit:
*Not paying off your monthly balance.
*Hard pulls (of info) to your account. These are done when you apply for various objects of credit.
*Balance of 0 at the end of the month
*Using more than 30% of your credit limit.
**Use micro payments if you must due to a low limit.
*Having incorrect (in this case negative) reports from people with similar names on your history. This happens, and it is good to check your credit history.
*Bankruptcy, liens, etc.