Credit score

''m curious about safe ways to establish credit. I have ambitions to run my own cafe and coffee roastery one day. Having a good credit history is going to be key. But, I hate the idea of spending money that I don't have and keeping track of interest rates. Are there any cards or plans I should look into, with this in mind? Charlie, Philadelphia, PA

I recently "moved my money" and I'd like to get rid of my old credit cards linked to the old bank accounts. Assuming there are no fees for keeping the old cards, should I save one and not use it, or occasionally use it in case it needs to remain active? Or can I simplify my life, cut loose the dormant accounts and just move on to my new cards? Any advice appreciated. Charlie, San Francisco, CA

I understand that your credit score is affected by the percentage of your available credit that you use. However, does this reflect the total percentage of the total available, or is it specific to each line of credit? Gabriel, Somerville, MA

Recently, I got married. I increased the credit line on one of my three credit cards and charged a lot of money on two of the cards. One, I basically stopped using, but it is open. I also had a lot of credit checks done as I was applying for financing a car. I leased a car and started renting an apartment. Now, when I started looking for a mileage credit card so my wife and I can better earn miles to travel, I found that my credit score has decreased and my applications are being denied. How can I rebuild my score after all these credit checks. Should I cancel the card I don't use? Thanks! Adam, Los Angeles, CA

I have a lousy credit score and am taking steps to improve it. In the meantime, I need to get a prepaid credit or debit card so I can pay for things like airfares, rental cars, hotel reservations, etc. Can you suggest the best prepaid card to go with? My initial Internet search for said cards resulted in a headache trying to figure out if these companies were a good deal or just a consumer nightmare. Any help is greatly appreciated. Mark, Duluth, MN

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