<prompt> Human: When I say bad, I mean it. My CreditKarma TransUnion score is 487 and Equifax is 491. I know these arent 100 accurate, but its definitely that low. I was denied when I applied for a secured credit card. I have 6 derogatory marks, no credit card utilization, no payment history, and no age of credit. I owe about 5k to various lenders.My mom was a single parent growing up and she is very uneducated she is disabled, legally blind, cannot read or write, and is a paranoid schizophrenic her income is from Social Security and disability checks. I knew nothing about handling money and saving because no one had taught me. I took out a loan when I was 17 for 300 and never paid it back and that was the beginning of ruining my credit. At 18, I got a Victorias Secret credit card for about 350, maxed it out, never paid it. When I was 20, I got my first car after winning 2,000 gambling. I used that money for a down payment and got a brand new car at a 20 !! interest rate. I am horrible with handling money and even though I had a job and was fully capable of making the payments, I spent it on other dumb things and fell behind. I had the car voluntary repossessed. Im 24 now and realize how essential having good credit is. Im very self aware and take full responsibility for being dumb and reckless when I was younger. I need a car and eventually Ill need to buy a home, etc. and I cant do any of that with my credit as it is now. My monthly income is 2,500 but I am about to get a promotion next month where I will get a significant pay raise. I only pay around 350 for bills currently so I definitely have extra money to apply towards fixing my debt and credit. My issue is, Im not sure where to start and I need help budgeting and saving. Like I said, Im horrible with money. I didnt have much of it growing up so when I do get paid, I HAVE to blow it all on unnecessary stuff. Spending makes me feel good but then Im broke again and its a vicious cycle. How do I begin tackling my debt and saving my credit score? What do I do about the repossession on my report? How can I start saving money and stop feeling like I need to spend money to feel good? Thank you. All advice is appreciated.  <response>: The wiki in this subreddit is a good place to start learning. The Prime Directive is a good starting point. Learning to create a detailed budget and developing the self control to stick to that budget going forward is an essential tool to start managing your own money well. Done properly, you can get to where you can spend responsibly by designating some portion of your income for your own spending, but only after all the essentials are taken care of. 