I don’t know who needs to hear this, but your credit score is not a reflection of your worth. Have I made that point? Your worth is immeasurable. But we’re talking credit—that’s barely even a reflection of your money habits sometimes. It’s just another part of this rigged system that nobody teaches you about until it’s already affecting your life.
I’m not a financial expert. I’m not a credit coach. I’m just someone who had to start from scratch and trust me, I’m still figuring it out. But I wanted to share the 3 things that actually helped me make progress. Not overnight, not perfectly—but enough to keep going.
1. Downloading Kikoff (aka my $5 move)
Kikoff was one of the first tools I used when I had no real money to “build” with. For $5 a month, it reports to the credit bureaus and shows a positive payment history. That’s it. It’s not flashy, but it works. And when you’re just starting out or repairing things, every little report helps.
I’ve had it for over 3 years now and it’s still on my credit report—quietly doing what it needs to do.
2. Making peace with the cards I already had
Instead of trying to open 3 new accounts or take out something risky, I focused on managing what I already had. That meant making minimum payments (even when it felt useless), and NOT maxing out my available credit.
Some months I couldn’t do more than the minimum. But I showed up anyway. And over time, that consistency begins to matter.
3. Checking my credit without the fear spiral
It used to feel like checking my credit report would ruin my mood. Now I try to treat it like a routine check-in, not a report card. I use apps like Experian or Credit Karma just to see what’s changing. And instead of panicking over the number, I look at the reasons why it’s going up or down.
Sometimes just understanding it a little more made it feel less intimidating.
I don’t have a perfect score. Not even close.
But I have progress. And as your financially progressive bff, I’m here to remind you, progress does not equal perfection.
If you’re just getting started, I hope this helps you feel less alone. It’s okay to learn as you go. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. But keep showing up for your future self anyway.
She’ll thank you for it.
k bye
Robyn
Leave a comment