<prompt> Human: Ive always gotten by with me paying the full amount on things. Rented an apt, bought a used car to save money, and now when I finally have a pretty decent amount, Im only finding out now that I shouldve been building credit this entire time. I dont have anyone who can help me get a loan or anything like that to make matters worse. In other words Im on my own.Lately Ive been thinking about finally getting a decent new car, considering how much I have saved 60,000 and was setting a goal to eventually get a small home next year or the year after depending on what I have saved to live in and fix up. Given the situation, realistically, how much time would it take for me to have a good enough credit score to get a mortgage? For some reason, something tells me that having a secured credit card from a bank for a year isnt going to be enough. Also, what would be an effective way to increase my credit as rapidly as I can? Getting multiple credit cards at once and then using them little by little? Would one suffice? Is there an amount that would be considered too many and ruin my credit? Seriously any information would be incredibly valuable at this point- because right now Im not sure what direction to go.I really do feel like a fool now, considering I was always proud of not owning a credit card, and thought that it would be seen as a good thing for not needing credit.  <response>: Usually, a secures loan, such as a car, is extremely helpful. You need to show a payment history that you make all payments on time. That will help tremendously. Your credit rating is also based on a debt to income ratio. If you finance the car, it may take a year or two, but it will pay off. 