A blank credit file is just as bad, sometimes worse, than having a bad credit file.

There are no secrets to building credit. It just takes time and patience. You must start small with something like a gas credit card.

Once you get the first card of any kind, you can expect to start getting offers in the mail after about six months of steady payments.

They may initially be for other gas cards. Citi is behind the gas credit cards for most of the big gas companies so you will already be in their customer base.

Take any and all credit cards you can get that have no annual fee or other cost associated with having the card.

If there is a fee, stay away from it. The last thing you want when you are trying to establish credit is to establish a bunch of new bills instead.

Use the credit cards you get very sparingly and try to keep the balances low if you run one at all.

After about a year of on time payments with the first card, you can expect to get invited to join the ranks of unsecured Visa card holders!

But you don't have to wait for them to find you. After six months of paying your first gas card on time, apply for a VISA/MC and see what happens.

You just may get it. It will almost certainly have a low limit. Usually about $250.

Once you get your first major credit card and continue to pay your bills on time, you will be bombarded with credit card invitations from everywhere.