Millennial Money: Credit basics you need to know

FILE- In this June 15, 2017, file photo, people walk inside the Oculus, the new transit station at the World Trade Center in New York. Getting your credit score today is easy, just turn to your bank, credit card issuer or one of the many apps and websites out there. That means millennials, unlike their parents, have the advantage of early insight into their financial profiles. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File) FILE- In this June 15, 2017, file photo, people walk inside the Oculus, the new transit station at the World Trade Center in New York. Getting your credit score today is easy, just turn to your bank, credit card issuer or one of the many apps and websites out there. That means millennials, unlike their parents, have the advantage of early insight into their financial profiles. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)

By Amrita Jayakumar / NerdWallet via The Associated Press April 5, 2019 5 min read

Getting your credit score today is easy – just turn to your bank, credit card issuer or one of the many apps and websites out there.

That means millennials, unlike their parents, have the advantage of early insight into their financial profiles. But looking isn’t enough. Without knowing the basics of credit, looking at your data is like having the pieces to a puzzle, but not understanding how they fit together.

Here’s what to know.

YOU HAVE MANY SCORES

You have multiple credit scores, not just one. Those scores vary, depending on: