What about future money? I mean credit. Your credit rating is basically a number assigned to you by your creditors that determines whether you will be able to purchase things on credit. The number is based on your payment history and income. Very soon you will receive credit card offers in the mail if you haven't already. How you handle this decision now will determine your credit rating for the next 10 years. How do you plan on handling credit cards? If you get into financial trouble what will you do about your credit cards? Do you understand how credit card interest works?