JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Let’s face it: the thought of giving a credit card to an 18-year-old can seem scary. Alright, now that we’ve gotten that part out of the way, how can a young person build credit safely? But unlike a debit card, they can still build credit with it. She suggests starting with a card from a credit union instead of a store or bank. Remember, building good credit is easy – fixing bad credit, however, is the hard part.

Freeze credit card spending. Closing an account could impact your credit utilization rate , a number that reporting bureaus use to evaluate your current spending habits and your future creditworthiness. If you have all three cards, then your credit utilization rate is 33% ($2,500/$7,500). Closing a credit card will also negatively impact your average age of accounts, which shows lenders or credit issuers that you can responsibly manage credit over time. Your debt-to-income ratio and credit utilization ratios should have improved, which may help you qualify for a consolidation loan.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – No matter if they’re bad or good, credit scores affect everyone’s lives. Still, for many people, by the time they’ve learned the importance of having good credit, it may be too late. If you want to build credit but need some help living within your means, Svoboda recommends getting what’s called a secured credit card. But unlike a debit card, a secured credit card builds credit. Because a bad credit score doesn’t have to be a life sentence.

What questions do you have about your credit score, or just credit in general? News4Jax Consumer Investigator Lauren Verno wants to help you get answers. On Friday, she’ll be speaking with Jacksonville Federal Credit Union President Mary Svoboda. Share your questions below and we’ll get them answered. Tell us what you’d like to know