An important skill for students to build is the ability to critically analyze any form of media (articles, videos, reader comments or even friends and family) that they rely upon for financial advice. Forums such as Bogleheads can be a useful place to find financial advice but still requires a critical eye to separate the signal from the noise.

I came across this question on Reddit (“Just turned 18, What is the best way to start building credit) that had a manageable number of responses. I thought this would be a good assessment to use after your Managing Credit unit. This question about building credit has become more important for young people given CARD Act regulations that make it difficult to get a credit card before the age of 21 unless you have a parent co-signer or an independent source of income.

Here’s the mini-activity. Ask your students to…

• Identify the three best comments that have advice that they would consider implementing to help build credit.
• Identify at least two comments that they feel are misleading, incorrect or just incomplete. Be specific about the problem with it.

Enjoy!

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Interested in more strategies on how young people can improve their credit score? Here’s an NGPF Research Activity: How Can I Improve My Credit Score

About the Author

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.

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