How do I get my credit score?

Depending on which scoring model is being used, opening your first credit account should immediately let you calculate your credit score. FICO® scores are calculated only six months after you have opened your first credit account, for example a loan, credit card, etc.

Your VantageScore® can be calculated as soon as your credit account is reported to the credit bureaus. Some options charge you a fee while others are free. Here are some ways you can begin to build your credit history:
Apply for a secured credit card.
Become an authorized user of someone else’s credit card.
Use rent and other utility payments to build credit.
Get a credit builder loan.
Use a co-signer for your credit card/loans.

Some of these options, like getting a credit builder loan, not only let you build credit but also ensure a kind of forced savings because the money that you pay is held in a secured account and released once it reaches a certain amount. Options 2 and 3 are great for someone who does not want to incur fresh loans or expenses, as they can build credit by simply making regular purchases using another person’s credit card and getting their regular rent and utility bill payments reported to the credit bureaus.